Harvest Bucks Needs Help to Helps Low-Income Mainers

This first time I heard about Maine Harvest Bucks I was so excited. If you use an SNAP/EBT card this program increases the buying power for food. What a great idea. And it helps not only the holder of the SNAP/EBT card, it helps local farmers as well. See why I was excited?!

But….it has a funding problem. The Sun Journal reports it is the Maine Harvest Bucks program that matches the amount of money. Some of the farmers have stepped up to help fund Harvest Bucks themselves and others have contacted the local residents, businesses and others to seek funding, like grants or larger gifts, to keep it going.

State officials are hopeful the Department of Agriculture grant that pay for Harvest Bucks can be renewed or some other long term funding solution can be worked out so the current problem affects people only this spring.

Harvest Bucks can be used at farmers markets (which are always a fun time), some farm stands and even for a CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture and they need our support). Find out who near you will take Maine Harvest Bucks!

If you do not take part in SNAP/EBT programs, you can still support this farmers. Every day Maine’s farmers and local foods need our support.