Kansas officials are reporting that a program that helps low-income families purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmer’s markets and grocery stores topped more than $1.1 million in benefits in the past year.

Erin Bishop, manager of the Double Up Food Bucks program coordinated through K-State Research and Extension, added that the number of vendors (mostly farmers markets) and the total number of sites (which includes grocery stores) in Kansas have doubled since the program’s inception in 2020.

“Double Up Food Bucks is a program that incentivizes households that are on food assistance – known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP – to purchase and consume fresh fruits and vegetables,” Bishop said.

Families qualify for SNAP benefits based on their household income. Bishop said the Double Up Food Bucks program allows these families to, essentially, double their benefits when they shop for fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets, farm stands, mobile markets and grocery stores.

“The intent is to stretch food budgets, and to increase food and nutrition security among low resource families,” Bishop said. “But we also want to keep more of those SNAP dollars local, which helps the local economies in those communities that participate.”

Kansas is a member of the Double Up Food Bucks Heartland region, which includes the Kansas City metro area and much of central and western Missouri. An estimated 1.1 million households in that region qualify for federal SNAP benefits.

“What we have found since the program began is that SNAP customers who participate in Double Up Food Bucks are less likely to experience food insecurity,” said Priscilla Brenes, a nutrition and wellness specialist with K-State Research and Extension. “They are eating more fresh fruits and vegetables compared to those who are not using the program.”

As manager of the program in Kansas, Bishop is a key contact for farmers market and grocery store managers who need help setting up the program. Once the program is in place, customers can swipe their SNAP card to receive tokens at farmer’s markets or credit on their grocery store bill for eligible food items.

“Our intention is to see Kansas specialty crop producers thriving and improving our local food systems and economies,” Bishop said.

The program began in Kansas and Missouri as a result of a pair of federal grants in 2020 and 2021 totaling just over $12.4 million. Bishop notes that Kansas families have received more than $4 million in benefits since the program started.

More information on the SNAP program in Kansas is available online.