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10Apr 2023

Los mercados de agricultores de Texas aceptan SNAP para que pueda comer fresco con su SNAP

April 10, 2023 Buying Food, Economic Development, farmers market, Health, Justice, Latest News, Selling 0 Comment

10 de abril de 2023
PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA 

Contacto con los medios: Jesús Reyes
Texas Mexico/Border Coalition, CBO
info (at) TM-BC.org

ELGIN, TEXAS – El Texas Center for Local Food anunció hoy a los socios del programa “Fresh Look” de este año: mercados de agricultores en Texas que aceptan SNAP EBT, anteriormente conocidos como “estampillas de alimentos”. SNAP es el Programa de asistencia nutricional suplementario, que brinda asistencia alimentaria a los hogares de bajos ingresos. El Texas Center for Local Food lanzó “Una nueva mirada a su mercado de agricultores” o “A Fresh Look at Your Farmers Market” en 2021 para promover los mercados de agricultores que aceptan SNAP EBT.

“Los mercados de agricultores son un vínculo fundamental en nuestro sistema alimentario de Texas, y las familias de bajos ingresos tienen acceso a alimentos locales frescos, ¡pero muchos aún no lo saben!” dice Sue Beckwith, Directora Ejecutiva del Texas Center for Local Food. Según las estadísticas de 2020 del USDA, Texas ocupó el segundo lugar en la nación por los beneficios de SNAP emitidos, pero ocupó el último lugar en el porcentaje de fondos de SNAP utilizados en granjas y mercados de agricultores. “Nuestro proyecto ‘Fresh Look’ hace que los productos agrícolas frescos cultivados en Texas sean más accesibles para las familias que compran con los beneficios de SNAP y también ayuda a los pequeños agricultores y ganaderos de Texas”, dijo Beckwith.

La temporada de cultivo de primavera ofrece una gran oportunidad para que las familias compren productos cultivados localmente en los mercados de agricultores locales, como zanahorias y otras verduras. ¡Las familias pueden usar su tarjeta Lone Star para comprar alimentos elegibles para SNAP como verduras, huevos, carne, pan y más!

Estos mercados de agricultores asociados a ‘Fresh Look’ actualmente aceptan SNAP EBT igual conocido como su tarjeta Lone Star. Los horarios del mercado de agricultores están sujetos a cambios.

Centro de Texas

Este de Texas

Norte de Texas

Sur de Texas

Oeste de Texas

  • Bodega Loya (El Paso) viernes y domingo 12-5pm, sábado 10am-5pm 

El Centro de Alimentos Locales de Texas fue creado por pequeños agricultores y ganaderos en 2016 para fortalecer la viabilidad económica de las comunidades y granjas familiares de Texas a través del desarrollo económico de alimentos locales. Para obtener más información, visite TexasLocalFood.org o comuníquese con Jesus Reyes a Info@TM-BC.org o 956-298-0708.

Puntos de datos y fuentes

  • En el año fiscal 2020, Texas ocupó el segundo lugar en la nación en el total de beneficios SNAP emitidos con $6.3 mil millones, solo superado por el estado de California.
    • SNAP $5 mil millones + Asignación de emergencia $1.3 mil millones
    • El total de $6.3 mil millones incluye la emisión regular de SNAP y fondos adicionales de ayuda de asignación de emergencia por COVID. Las asignaciones de emergencia terminaron en marzo de 2023 para todos los beneficiarios de SNAP en Texas.
  • En el año fiscal 2020, Texas ocupó el puesto 47 en el canje de SNAP en granjas y mercados de agricultores como porcentaje del canje total de SNAP para el estado (.0030 %).
  1. https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/FY20-state-activity-report.pdf
  2. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/
  3. https://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap
  4. https://www.hhs.texas.gov/about-hhs/records-statistics/data-statistics/supplemental-nutritional-assistance-program-snap-statistics
  5. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/redemptions-report-fy-2013-2020
17Nov 2021

New Farmers Market program expands access to fresh, local food

November 17, 2021 Buying Food, farmers market, Health, Justice, Latest News 0 Comment

ELGIN, TEXAS – The Texas Center for Local Food today announced a new project to promote the use of SNAP benefits at farmers markets in Texas.  

SNAP benefit recipients can use their SNAP cards to buy fresh, local food at farmers markets. But many recipients don’t know that – and farmers markets face multiple hurdles to accepting SNAP. 

In FY2020, Texas ranked 47th out of the 50 US states in SNAP sales at farmers markets. “Farmers markets are a critical link in the local food system, and lower-income families have access to fresh, local food — but too many don’t know it — yet!” said Sue Beckwith, Executive Director of the Texas Center for Local Food. Our new project will get more Texas-grown, farm fresh produce onto SNAP recipients’ tables.”

Promotion alone won’t increase sales to SNAP recipients. Farmers markets also need help setting up and using the equipment for SNAP processing. “The equipment required to process SNAP is different from normal card processing equipment. It requires its own setup and specialized training,” said Susie Marshall, Executive Director of Grow North Texas, a SNAP-ED project partner. “We provide technical assistance to help farmers markets adopt and use the equipment.”

family shopping at farmers market

Digital images are free for non-commercial, non-profit use. They are provided by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The 1-year grant of $439,951 is awarded and administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission using funds allocated to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service as part of the Farm Bill.

Another hurdle for farmers markets accepting SNAP are the costs of the equipment and processing. The Texas Center for Local Food also works to help farmers markets offset farmers markets costs not paid for by this grant costs using funds contributed by TCLF members. To become a member, or find out how to participate, please visit TexasLocalFood.org/Join-Us

The Texas Center for Local Food, based in Elgin, Texas, was created in 2016 by small farmers and ranchers to strengthen the economic viability of Texas communities and family farms through making the local food system economically stronger. For more information, visit TexasLocalFood.org or contact Sue Beckwith at sueb@TexasLocalFood.org.

Data Points & Sources

Based on FY 2020 & FY 2019:

  • On average 12.4% of Texans receive SNAP every month (1.6 million families).
  • Each month over $400 million dollars in SNAP payments are made in Texas.
  • The precentage of SNAP benefits redeemed at farmers’ markets is almost 0 (0.003%), ranking Texas 47th in the country.
  1. https://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap
  2. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/
  3. https://www.hhs.texas.gov/about-hhs/records-statistics/data-statistics/supplemental-nutritional-assistance-program-snap-statistics

 Sources

  • Family purchases food at a local farmers market. Credit (not required): Photo courtesy USDA SNAP-ED.  Digital images are free for non-commercial, non-profit use. They are provided by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
15Apr 2019

Many migrants are farmers fleeing climate change

April 15, 2019 Business and Financial, Community Development, Health, Justice, Latest News 0 Comment

It’s not just violence and poverty that Central Americans are fleeing. It’s also climate change. In this NY Times article, you’ll read about how the temp in Central America has increased 2 degrees F, how the rains are off schedule, and how coffee won’t grow in the heat like it has for so many years. Farmers are heading north.

In 2017 the World Bank reported that climate change could cause 1.4M people from Mexico and Central America to migrate north. Agriculture in Honduras employs 28% of the labor force. With so many farmers and farm workers leaving, now there’s a farm labor shortage in Honduras.

The U.S. provides aid to Honduras and other Central American countries. The U.S. President has proposed to cut off all aid, apparently believing the lack of funds will prevent migration. It appears that exactly the opposite will happen: cutting off U.S. aid will only make the situation more desperate for Central American farmers.

28Dec 2018

Blockbuster in 2018: Study Finds Benefits to Eating Organic

December 28, 2018 Buying Food, Health, Latest News 0 Comment

The American Medical Association released a study in 2018 showing a 25% drop in cancer diagnoses for people who eat organic. This could be a big win for Texas organic farmers. How will we get this information to consumers? In Texas we rely mostly on private companies and the Texas Department of Agriculture to market Texas-grown organic foods. Is this enough? Leave comments to share your thoughts on how we could market Texas organics!

Here is a good summary article from New Hope Network on the impact of this research.

13Nov 2018

U.S. Food Purchasing Major Contributor to Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

November 13, 2018 Business and Financial, Buying Food, Health, Latest News 0 Comment

U.S. household food purchasing is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions – about 16% of total U.S. emissions in 2013. Households with higher incomes contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions. This report is summarized on the site of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and published in the Journal of Food Policy in August 2018.

Actions you could take to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions: eat a little less meat, eat food grown closer to home, waste less food.

02Nov 2018

Article: Hold Productive Public Meetings About Food Security

November 2, 2018 Community Development, Farm to School, Institutions, Health, Job Opportunities, Latest News 0 Comment

This article on Medium includes some good tips on planning and holding a successful public community meeting on food security.

1 – Do we really need another meeting?

2 – Curate!

3 – Comfort zone

4 – Fun.. intentionally

5 – Inspire

6 – Make space for networking and informal learning

24Sep 2018

Get Rooted: Reimagining Self-Care Keynote with Naya Jones This Week

September 24, 2018 Community Development, Health, Justice, Latest News 0 Comment

 

Self-care is an important, and often overlooked, aspect of food system sustainability. Join our friend, Dr. Naya Jones, tomorrow from 5-6pm at the SAC Ballroom on UT Campus as she explores the topic self-care through a personal, interpersonal, and collective lens. Free T-shirts and food while supplies last!

Details:

Tuesday, September 25 from 5pm to 6pm

Student Activity Center (SAC), Ballroom North 2.410

2201 Speedway, Austin, Tx 78712

https://calendar.utexas.edu/event/suicide_prevention_week_-_get_rooted_reimagining_self-care_keynote_with_naya_jones#.W6kVfRNKg_U