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Program trying to provide healthier food choices for lower-income New Jersey residents

Families who receive foods stamps can now use them to buy fresh produce at many farmers markets throughout the state under a new program launched Thursday by the state.

The goal is to provide healthier food choices for lower-income residents.

"This collaboration between state agencies will allow for food stamp purchases at community farmers markets, bringing just-picked Jersey Fresh produce right to where people live," Gov. Jon Corzine said at a Trenton press conference.

Families can now scan their EBT cards at machines at the participating farmers' markets. Many tailgate farmers' markets were not able to accept the card because they didn't have access to the electricity or telephone line needed to process transactions online. The pilot program that is being launched this month provides farmers with the wireless equipment they need to process the transactions. The farmers will be able to use this equipment at the various farmers' markets around the state where they sell their produce.

"New Jersey is one of the first states in the Mid-Atlantic region to bring wireless technology to authorized farmers," according to Patricia Dombroski, deputy regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service. "This technology enables more farmers to offer their nutritious produce to (food stamp) recipients and help improve the health of New Jerseyans."

The pilot program will include at least 15 farmers who sell their produce at farmers' markets throughout New Jersey. Other states have successfully offered this type of customer service to food stamp benefit recipients.

"Maintaining good nutrition, while living on a very limited budget is something that food stamp recipients wrestle with every day," said state Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez. "People who use food stamps, .... now have a greater choice of where they can purchase healthy, fresh New Jersey fruits and vegetables to enhance and stretch their food dollars." Human Services and the state Department of Agriculture are teaming to offer the program.

Food stamp recipients can learn which farmer's markets in their area are accepting food stamps by consulting posters in their county welfare agency. Posters also will be displayed at the individual stands in the farmers' markets where the Family First card will be accepted. Food stamp recipients need to look for the poster at the farmers' markets because not all of the farmers selling produce will be participating in this pilot.

For more information about food stamps and for a list of all of the farmers' markets accepting them visit: www.njfoodstamps.com.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM