Recommendation Status: In Progress
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Recommendation: Increase funding for programs, like NH Feeding NH, Granite State Market Match, and Double Up Food Bucks to improve access to fresh, local foods. Expand Granite State Market Match to farm stores by identifying eligible locations, addressing staffing and infrastructure needs, and providing capacity-building support to integrate EBT into existing POS systems. Enhance accessibility further by supporting farm stores and farmers’ markets to offer SNAP incentives, extend operating hours, and implement cold storage solutions.
Current work happening on this recommendation:
- Seacoast Eat Local is planning to survey farms who are interested in expanding their direct-to-consumer sales methods. A huge part of this research will be to identify interest and barriers to having some sort of POS system at farm stands, vs a clip board or other simple self checkout / cash only option.
- How can you learn more and get involved? Reach out the Shawn Menard, Director, at director@seacoasteatlocal.org
- The NH Department of Health and Human Services is facilitating the second pilot year of the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program July 1-September 30, 2026. The WIC FMNP uses a new technology, Farm Market Direct (a digital platform), to accept payment from participants by farmers. The lessons learned for this technology could be used to move away from vouchers used by the Granite State Market Match Program in the future. The Chronic Disease team at the NH DHHS's Division of Public Health has funding to support some of the NH Food Bank's administration of nutrition incentives through the Rural Health Transformation Grant Program.
- How can you learn more and get involved? Visit the WIC Farmer's Market Nutrition Program webpage.
Craving context? This recommendation is included in the Nutrition Access & Security brief, part of the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan.
Read the Nutrition Access & Security brief here
