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Farmers markets can't take food stamps

Jul 14, 2018 12:05 am
Dan Nosowitz at Modern Farmer reports how farmers markets will be no longer take funds from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, once called food stamps, as of July 31 due to a government oversight. The Department of Agriculture has hired a new computer service that does not work with the funds. Gov. Andrew Cuomo fired off a letter to Sonny Perdue, who heads the Department of Agriculture. "Your office sent us notice yesterday that Novo Dia Group, the only USDA-authorized contractor of a cellular-based redemption system app for smartphones, would be closing in 20 days - right in the middle of the busy farmers' market season. A brand-new company, which does not provide smartphone capabilities like Novo Dia Group, has apparently been awarded the USDA contract. This will result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of fresh food transactions for SNAP recipients. As a result, both farmers and SNAP beneficiaries will suffer." Read the full story at Modern Farmer.