# Foodstamps and organic/non CSAs?



## Prismseed (Sep 14, 2009)

_*For the love of god if you want to complain about government welfare do it in the politics section.*_

That said I hear about CSAs often. What I don't hear about is CSAs that accept food stamps. Heck around here you see (some not all) food stamp recipients going into the local seafood market to buy jumbo shrimp and steamed crab. So why not have food stamps as an option for CSA produce? Atleast then the money goes to local economy and honest business, not 'faceless mega agri corp'.

So why don't CSAs and larger produce stands get in on the action?


----------



## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

I can't tell you why others don't accept food stamps, but I can tell you why I don't and -- anytime in the foreseeable future -- won't despite the fact that part of our farm goal/mission is to help bring good, affordable food to local families. The reason can be boiled down to two simple words: Red. Tape. 

I have enough to deal with just going through the motions the government wants me to in order to sell our products to the consumer to begin with. I really don't have any desire to add any more of that to my day-to-day operating. 

Of course, we sell meat so there is more red tape to begin with, but I imagine a lot of just produce sellers are selling just produce because they can bypass that red tape, so really it may very well be the same for them -- why add more problems to your business than you have to? It increases operating costs and time commitment. And most small farmers are short on both those things already.


----------



## redwall (Mar 10, 2007)

in many places you must sell so many different types of food like eggs milk and three types of fresh fruit..


----------



## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

You would also need to be electronically connected to except the cards. Bet it costs the merchant something.


----------



## dixienc (Apr 11, 2008)

Our farmers markets here began accepting WIC vouchers and foodstamps last fall. It has really increased the participation, the markets are full of people everyday they open. A lady at the one I went to said it took a while to get everything ready and setup but it was worth it, her sales have tripled.


----------



## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

We operate a CSA and cannot accept foodstamps because we are not selling vegetables. We sell memberships that may or may not result in the member receiving vegetables. They always do and the vegetables are worth more individually than they could be purchased for, but because we do not offer 5lbs of carrots and 2lbs of peas for x dollars etc. we cannot accept foodstamps.


----------



## Murray in ME (May 10, 2002)

A lot of farm stands do accept food stamps.


----------



## byexample (Aug 28, 2009)

Local farmer's market here accepts food stamps now. But they had to change how they did some things and it forced many of the vendors to get various business licenses, sales tax licenses, etc.. Before that the market was this cool, simple, off-the-radar thing. So while I think it's great that folks can buy real veggies with their food stamps (or whatever they call it here) it did bring a new level of complications to the farmers. And about 1/2 dozen of us opted to stop participating due to the increased burdens it created. Just wasn't worth the trouble any more. 

As far as CSAs are concerned I think mistletoad hit the nail on the head. CSAs are usually a membership oriented relationship. And I'd expect that most state's rules governing food aid don't allow those types of purchases. To top it off the CSAs that I know of all have waiting lists to join. If CSAs aren't hurting for customers then there's not much incentive to do business with the government.


----------



## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

If you accept the electronic cards, it costs you 4% off the top. That's quite a hit.

'Sides that, as others have pointed out, it's just encouraging bureaucracy. We already have more than enough of that!


----------



## Kriket (Sep 30, 2009)

I can see a CSA not accepting food stamps for shares, they can vary in the amount of food you receive, and less reputable CSA owners may be tempted to short the food stamp recipients. 

I know at the larger farmers market in my area a lot of the vendors take food stamps and our WIC has a voucher program. We got the vouchers last year (before they started the $10 veggie voucher in the regular monthly package) and it was soooo great! We didn't have a garden that year (the baby was born in April!) so we were short on fresh veggies.

I know in our area you can go to Papa Murphys and pick up a pizza with food stamps. Or you can go to the gas station and get soda and snack cakes.  I would rather see CSAs and farmers markets.


----------

