ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 7, 2025) ~ Annapolis, MD - The Maryland Department of Agriculture has announced a new virtual series aimed at helping farmers accept federal food program payments. In partnership with the Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI), the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, and the University of Maryland Extension SNAP-Ed, the three-part series will be held on August 12, 13, and 14.

The series is designed for farmers, farmers market managers, agricultural marketing professionals, and community partners who support direct-marketing agriculture. Each session will cover tools, technical assistance, and recent updates to assist Maryland producers in accepting nutrition benefits such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), and the FMNP (Farmers Market Nutrition Program). The program will also highlight the work of the department's Maryland Market Money (MMM) program and Maryland SNAP-Ed resources.

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According to the press release issued by the department on August 7th, this initiative is a result of joint efforts under the Northeast SARE-funded project. Since July 2024, more than 24 farmers and markets in the DMV region that serve Maryland have successfully become authorized to accept SNAP as a form of payment at their farm stands or markets. This authorization has given them access to over $72 million in monthly Maryland-issued SNAP benefits and over $75 million distributed through the summer SUN Bucks program. This has created new opportunities for these farmers to connect their locally grown produce with households across the state.

The virtual sessions will take place from 1:00–2:00 PM ET each day via Zoom. On August 12th, Amy Crone, MarketLink Program Manager will discuss how farmers can accept SNAP payments from shoppers online and other support offered through MarketLink. This includes eligibility to apply for free payment processing equipment. On August 13th, Cristina Berthelot, MDA Food Access Programs Administrator, will provide more information about the Maryland-based matching program Maryland Market Money (MMM) and the administrative transition to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. This session will also include a refresher on Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and eligible product guidelines for various benefits programs. Finally, on August 14th, Jocelyn Tidwell, UME SNAP-Ed Healthy Food Access Coordinator, will discuss how the UME SNAP-Ed program has worked with farmers and markets to help them connect with nutrition benefits customers. She will also share upcoming changes and available resources for Maryland farmers and agricultural technical assistance providers through the program.

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Interested participants can register for the virtual series at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyFe3.... For more information about this project, visit the MD Farmers for Nutrition Benefit website at https://sites.google.com/view/mdfarmers4nutriti....

This project is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number ENE23-180.

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