Farm Fresh Rewards

Maine Farmland Trust is thrilled to share that over the next few months, Good Shepherd Food Bank will transition into leading the Farm Fresh Rewards program moving forward. As MFT looks to focus on our farmer-facing work in the next few years, we are very excited to see how Good Shepherd will expand and build upon the Farm Fresh Rewards program! For more information, please visit farmfreshrewards.org or contact Good Shepherd at farmfreshrewards@gsfb.org

With Farm Fresh Rewards, shoppers using SNAP/EBT earn bonus dollars for Maine-grown fruit and vegetables.

As of May 1st 2022, Farm Fresh Rewards is managed by Good Shepherd Food Bank. Farm Fresh Rewards can be found at participating stores across the state. The program complements Maine Harvest Bucks, which is managed by Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets and can be found at participating farmers’ markets, CSA farms, farm stands and mobile markets.

Read about the impact these programs are having statewide here.

Read about the key findings from the first three years of our Farm Fresh Rewards program here.

WHAT ARE NUTRITION INCENTIVES?

Nutrition incentive programs make healthy food more accessible by providing financial incentives to low-income shoppers who participate in federal nutrition assistance programs. With Farm Fresh Rewards, shoppers who buy local food with SNAP/EBT (formerly called food stamps) earn bonus dollars to buy more locally-grown fruit and vegetables.

Farm Fresh Rewards serves everyone:

SNAP shoppers can buy more locally-produced food
Maine farmers and food businesses gain new customers
More food dollars stay in the local economy

OUR ROLE: BRINGING NUTRITION INCENTIVES TO RETAIL

MFT and other partners have a history implementing similar nutrition incentive programs at farmers’ markets.

In 2015, we received a major federal grant to expand nutrition incentives to stores selling local food, like co-ops and small grocers. These local retailers provide an important access point for more Maine farmers and eaters to be able to benefit from nutrition incentives. When more Mainers can buy more local food, everyone wins: families are able to make healthier choices, farmers and local food outlets gain new customers, and local economies thrive.

To find out how to use Farm Fresh Rewards at local retail outlets, visit farmfreshrewards.org (or maineharvestbucks.org/retail). To learn more about Maine Harvest Bucks at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and CSAs, visit maineharvestbucks.org.

Expanding nutrition incentives around the state to farmers’ markets, farm stands, stores, and other locations is the current priority of the Maine Local Foods Access Network.

Maine Farmland Trust is a partner in the New England Nutrition Incentive Collaborative, a project supported by the USDA Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive program and led by Farm Fresh Rhode Island.