Each season we focus on efforts to bring access and opportunity to more people by way of our participation in the SNAP/EBT, FreshConnect, WIC, and FMNP programs. We have paired up with local non-profits and organizations to give as much info to our customers as possible about the services that are available within our community.

With 11%+ of Columbia County residents struggling with food security, we have decided to make it a priority this season to welcome community vendors focusing on food access/justice. With the news that NYS is matching SNAP benefits dollar-for-dollar through their FreshConnect program (up to $50 in benefits taken out), we have an unprecedented opportunity to get additional resources into the hands of those most in need.

​This dollar-for-dollar initiative is meant to offset a recent reduction in SNAP benefits and to help both consumers and NYS producers. This is being funded throughout 2024 by Ag and Markets. FreshConnect is a program that is ONLY available through participating farmers’ markets and farm stands.

Since the Hudson Farmers’ Market distributes and accepts SNAP, we are able to honor the dollar-for-dollar FreshConnect program! This means you can DOUBLE your buying power at our farmers’ market. So $50 in SNAP means an additional $50 in FreshConnect (and $50 is the cap per person per day).

FOOD ACCESS and COMMUNITY OUTREACH

HOW IT WORKS:

Come to the Hudson Farmers’ Market and find our EBT a-frame sign! The market manager, Brandon, will be there. He will ask you how much you would like to take out from your SNAP/EBT account. That amount will be issued to you in wooden tokens (worth $1 each). He will then issue you the equivalent amount in FreshConnect checks (worth $2 each). You can then use it throughout the market on eligible foods.

The products that are eligible for SNAP/FreshConnect: vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, eggs, dairy, baked goods, coffee, apple cider, juice, honey, maple, bedding plants and transplants, foods meant to be eaten while at home, and more.

You can find a list here of eligible and ineligible products.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS:

So far we have paired with Columbia County Recovery Kitchen, Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene County, and the Hudson Youth Center to get these informational flyers into the homes of the people involved in their programs. We plan to continue with a few local food pantries, local DSS office, and some farm gleaning programs. We have also received a 2023 Farm Credit East Farmers' Market grant to print more flyers with these resources.

If you know a SNAP/EBT customer who would benefit from the additional state funds you can download the flyer here.