Cheers Shelley! ☕

About how many vendors do you average per week?

is pop new?

How much did you give POP Plus participants per week?

ward nefstead

What was your dollar value of the pop+ tokens?

Can you tell me more about the PoP + program?

Why did you decide to stop offering credit/debit options?

ward Nefstead p.o.box 665 Waseca mn56093

https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/programs/power-of-produce-pop/

Why are there so many less Market/Produce Bucks compared to EBT Tokens if they are given as matched to $10? Are there that many getting more than $10 off their card? If they are, that's great they are using their money at Market.

https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/programs/power-of-produce-pop/

How often could POP+ participants earn tokens?

Extension has a toolkit available for PoP Plus https://extension.umn.edu/local-foods/power-produce-pop-club

Sarah Larsen - PoP+ seniors could earn a $4 token every Saturday. PoP kids could earn $2 every Saturday.

Marsha - Essentially yes. While some EBT participants only get $10 on EBT and then $10 for MB and $10 for PBM, the $10 match for each (MB/PMB) is the max each Saturday, and $30 total isn't necessarily enough for customers, so MANY of them get more than $10 on their EBT card and then get the $10 and $10 match.

I was very excited to see the different colors for the Winter Market, thank you!!

Jill - I've noticed that another market near us is cutting the corners off of their produce bucks. We see some of those come through our market.

Can we bring back the corner being 'bitten' for the Produce Market Bucks along with the color change for next summer? I think vendors got used to the missing corner and aren't noticing that it is only the color change as a difference for Produce Market Bucks this winter.

We LOVE the cut corners on produce bucks, makes the counting process so much faster. For us, they came from Jill with the corners cut.

We should tie the MB customer survey into FM360 - Maeve?

Jill - I really appreciate how the MB and PMB come now in the boxes pre-separated in groups of 10.

Maybe including both cut corners and a different color will help differentiate between PMB and MB.

Yes, I agree. Both a different color AND the bites would be great.

LOVE the community supported famers market idea. Will you be seeking input and suggestions from market managers?? Will this be operated by Hunger Solutions?

Is there anything like AEOA in SE MN?

Yes, I think the meat vendors a part of that, and probably just as you say, with more vendors, there are just more options to spend more. We will occasionally have people spend $100-$200 in EBT. Most people though spend anywhere from $10-$30 in EBT and then get the $10/$10 match.

Chris - this might be helpful for you...https://minncap.org/local-agencies#interactivemap

Can we get copies of this survey/questions?

Jill this is so great! Love all the info and even the survey questions have me thinking of market improvements ☺️

Thank you Megan!

Peter & Jill - Would you consider asking for even more? With about 300 farmers markets in MN, and a median use of $6000/year, that would be 1,800,000 per year.

Luverne Farmers Market accepts SNAP/EBT and has all volunteers. Thanks to Corrine Bonnema for ALL she does for the market and to coordinate volunteers!!!

Leah Gardner of Hunger Solutions is leading the statewide MN Food Social Justice Network effort - holler if you want to join that.

Will we have contact info for speakers and possibly attendees if they are willing?

Our market administers SNAP internally, and we're able to do that because I've taken on market administration as my primary volunteer project, in addition to a day job and my farm job. I've focused on building capacity within the market for assistance, partly because I've seen so many staff changes within our community partners. The community partners do wonderful work in terms of referrals, networking and some advertising, but I think there's some value in building skills among our members and board members, too.

My contact info for all things Market Bucks: jwestfall@hungersolutions.org 651-789-9843

As we get ready to do our drawing, check out the restaurants you can choose from in your region for a gift card: https://www.minnesotacooks.org/farm-to-table-directory/

Congrats Kristine!!

Woot! Kristine!!