SNAP Crisis: Corvallis Farmers’ Market Steps Up, Now Offering SNAP Recipients Fresh Help

If you’re a SNAP food assistance recipient, the Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Markets want to help. Starting Saturday, Nov 1, a temporary emergency program will allow SNAP customers to continue to get Double Up Food Bucks, or DUFB, at the market.

They will “match” $1, or even ZERO dollars if needed, with $20 of DUFB. The currency is good for fruits and vegetables, dried beans, fresh herbs, mushrooms, and plants and seeds that produce food.

“Whether you have just $1 of SNAP benefits or $0 SNAP benefits, you can get up to $20 to spend on local produce at our market. We will help no matter what,” says the Market’s release.

How it works

Shoppers should bring their SNAP cards to the market booth. The purple tents in Corvallis, or in Albany, the green tent to get the Double Up Food Bucks.

According to the Market, no market currency has expired yet this year. DUFB will expire on Dec 31. Balances on SNAP cards remain valid. Hours are 9 am to 1 pm at all sites.

The Corvallis Farmers’ Market is at 1^st and Jackson. On Saturdays, it covers 1.5 blocks of 1st Street (½ block north of Jackson Ave. south to Monroe Ave.), plus a block of Monroe Ave. from 1st to 2^nd Street.

The Albany Farmers’ Market is at 4^th and Ellsworth, occupying the City Hall parking lot and an adjacent block of 4^th Avenue on Saturdays.

How the Markets are making this happen

Firstly, Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Markets is working with the Farmers Market Fund, the Portland-based organization that operates Double Up Food Bucks, to keep the good food flowing. Plus, fresh produce is still available thanks to season extension production methods and favorable weather; so, storage foods are abounding.

As to why, the Market says, “Saturday starts the last month of the regular farmers’ market season. Without quick action to deal with the federal cutoff of November SNAP funds, many regular market customers would have lost access to the high-quality local foods that help families do their best in school, work and home activities.”