ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 7, 2025) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI), the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, and the University of Maryland Extension SNAP-Ed, are offering farmers a three-part virtual series on accepting federal food program payments. The series will be held on August 12, 13, and 14.
Designed for farmers, farmers market managers, agricultural marketing professionals, and community partners who support direct-marketing agriculture, each session will cover tools, technical assistance, and recent updates aimed at helping Maryland producers accept nutrition benefits such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), and the FMNP (Farmers Market Nutrition Program). The program will also highlight the work of the department’s Maryland Market Money (MMM) program and Maryland SNAP-Ed resources.
Since July 2024, through joint efforts under the Northeast SARE-funded initiative, more than 24 farmers and markets based in the DMV region that serve Maryland have successfully become authorized to accept SNAP as a form of payment at their farm stands or markets. These newly authorized farmers now have access to over $72 million in monthly Maryland-issued SNAP benefits, as well as more than $75 million distributed through the summer SUN Bucks program, creating new opportunities to connect Maryland-grown food with households across the state.
Sessions will take place from 1:00–2:00 PM ET each day via Zoom:
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AUGUST 12- AMY CRONE, MarketLink Program Manager- Learn more about how farmers can accept SNAP payments from shoppers online and other support offered through MarketLink, such as eligibility to apply for free payment processing equipment.
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AUGUST 13 CRISTINA BERTHELOT, MDA Food Access Programs Administrator- Learn more about Maryland-based matching program Maryland Market Money (MMM) and the administrative transition to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. This session will also present a refresher on Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and eligible product guidelines for various benefits programs.
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AUGUST 14 JOCELYN TIDWELL, UME SNAP-Ed Healthy Food Access Coordinator- Learn about how the UME SNAP-Ed program has worked with farmers and markets to help them connect with nutrition benefits customers, upcoming changes, and what resources are available to Maryland farmers and agricultural technical assistance providers through the program.
Interested participants can register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyFe3EYiesjQL1lwiRYSeamGtvb3ukfgp440SdbcS6PfT82Q/viewform
For more information about this project, visit the MD Farmers for Nutrition Benefit: https://sites.google.com/view/mdfarmers4nutritionbenefits/.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number ENE23-180.
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