Program gives food stamp users more purchase power when supporting local farmers

A program that boosts local agricultural producers in Montana while also helping food stamp recipients is back for another season.

That means anyone on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly food stamps) can double their purchasing power when they buy fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets, farm stands and participating retailers across the state.

It's called the Double SNAP Dollars Program, and it's supported by a Missoula-based nonprofit called Farm Connect Montana. They got $2 million in federal money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to expand the initiative.

“Funding for the Double SNAP Dollars program is critical for communities across Montana,” said Bonnie Buckingham, executive director of Farm Connect Montana. “It’s a win for consumers who might not otherwise be able to afford nutritious, locally grown food and a direct benefit to farmers and ranchers, supporting regional economic growth. Just as importantly, it helps build connections: neighbors meeting over local food, sharing recipes and strengthening community.”

So, if you have SNAP benefits, you can go online at DoubleDollarsMT.com to look up a list of the locations across the state where your purchase power will go twice as far.

In Missoula County, more than 800 residents participate in the Double SNAP program, which means that local farms and food producers get an added $50,000 a year.

Buckingham said the program makes healthy food more affordable and reinforces the resilience of the region's agricultural economy.

Since the program launched in 2015, the program has allowed over 17,000 Montanans to access fresh produce. Over $2 million worth of SNAP benefits have been spent at participating farms and businesses, Buckingham said.

For more information visit online at FarmConnectMontana.org.

The Double SNAP program is available at the Missoula Farmers Market, the Clark Fork River Market, the Hamilton Farmers Market, the Missoula Food Bank and Community Center, the Butte Farmers Market and the Billings Healthy by Design Gardeners' Market, among other places. It's also accepted at the Western Montana Growers Cooperative, which has a CSA option.