SNAP EBT Equipment Resources

Increasing the participation of Direct Marketing Farmers and Farmers’ Markets (DMFs/FMs) in SNAP, to improve access to fresh fruits and vegetables by low-income Americans, is a USDA priority.

Currently, DMFs/FMs have two options for equipment support:

• State EBT Equipment Programs: In FY2019, FNS offered states an opportunity to obtain funding to provide DMFs/FMs with equipment that can be used to process SNAP transactions, but not debit/credit transactions, at no cost to the DMFs/FMs. Twenty-nine (29) states asked for and received funding. Although FNS encourages states to make this option wireless, that is not always the case.
• SNAP Mobile Transaction Processing Application: Through a cooperative agreement, the National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (NAFMNP) is providing access to a SNAP Mobile Application (The App) by DMFs/FMs free of cost, for one-year. The App enables DMFs/FMs to accept SNAP EBT payments on their own smart device.

FNS’s goal is to gradually move DMFs/FMs from a subsidized equipment program to a more cost-efficient application-based solution that enables processing via smart devices that are owned by a DMF/FM.

Manual Vouchers

If your DMF/FM is unable to operate an EBT device on-site, you may use manual vouchers. To obtain manual vouchers, contact your state’s EBT processor to request the vouchers that are accepted by that particular EBT processor. When using a manual voucher, your staff must call the state’s EBT processor to verify that funds are available in a customer's EBT account and, if so, place a hold on the purchase amount. The customer must then sign the voucher for the purchase amount, which you must mail to the EBT processor. The EBT processor will then pay you, via direct deposit (usually within two business days).