Using Food Assistance to Buy Local Produce

Community supported agriculture (CSA) programs are for everyone and can be purchased with most currencies including SNAP Bridge Cards, Double Up Food Bucks, WIC Project FRESH coupons, and Senior Project FRESH coupons. Michigan families can also receive support in purchasing from a CSA from the Michigan Farm to Family: CSA program.

Not all farmers participate in each program, so it is helpful to talk with them to learn which programs they are participating in. You can learn more below about how each of these programs can be used to help you purchase from a CSA farmer near you.   

  • Ask your CSA program if they accept SNAP or use the Find a CSA search feature to find out if they are able to. If your CSA program accepts SNAP, then you can use your SNAP EBT Bridge card to pay for your CSA share each time you receive food.

    The CSA farmer will divide out the cost of your CSA share for the season to a cost per pick-up time.  You will not be able to pay in advance for your CSA food share with SNAP benefits. You must pay on the day of pick up or delivery. If your CSA program offers delivery, you can NOT pay the delivery fee with your food assistance benefits.

    If you are picking up your CSA share at a farmers market that accepts SNAP, you may be able to pay for your CSA share with SNAP tokens that you receive from the market when you process your SNAP EBT Bridge card with the market. Check with the market manager to see if that is allowed.

  • Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) is a statewide SNAP incentive program that helps customers shopping with SNAP to purchase more fruits and vegetables. The DUFB program works differently depending on how the CSA program operates. The two most common methods provide a benefit either in alternating weeks or as an instant discount when paying for your CSA share. 

    Alternating Weekly method: 

    Buy one weekly box to earn the incentive and get the next week’s box for free when you redeem the incentive you earned the previous week. Alternatively, use the DUFB tokens you earn from your purchase at any participating markets.

    For example, if a CSA food box is $20 a week and you use your SNAP benefits to pay for the box in week one, you earn $20 worth of DUFB tokens from that purchase that you can use the next week to shop at any farmers markets that accept DUFB to purchase more Michigan-grown fresh fruits and vegetables.  

    Instant method: 

    Some CSA programs that participate in DUFB may offer you an instant discount on your CSA box if all produce in the box is grown in Michigan.

    In this case, the farmer would give you a 50% discount when using your SNAP benefits. If a CSA box costs $20, your SNAP Bridge Card will only be charged $10 for the CSA box. 

  • A customer with WIC Project FRESH coupons can use them to purchase a CSA food box if the box contains produce grown in Michigan. If the box contains non-produce items, the cost of those items must be paid for with cash or another food assistance benefit. 

    However, since you only receive $30 of WIC Project FRESH coupons per season, depending on the price of your CSA food box, you can only use the WIC Project FRESH coupons on one box or a portion of one box. Be sure to ask your CSA program if they can accept WIC Project FRESH coupons as payment when you sign up to receive your box. 

  • The Michigan Farms to Families: CSA program is a SNAP incentive program providing families access to local fruits and vegetables. Customers with a SNAP EBT Card can purchase discounted CSA boxes using their SNAP benefits. The program also provides access to nutrition education materials like recipes, cooking tips, and more.

    For example, if a farmer is selling a CSA share for $20 for the week, the customer would spend $5 of their SNAP benefits, and the Farm to Families program would cover the remaining $15.

  • A customer with Senior Project FRESH coupons can use them to purchase a CSA food box if the box contains produce grown in Michigan. If the box contains non-produce items, the cost of those items must be paid for with cash or another food assistance benefit. 

    However, since you only receive $30 of Senior Project FRESH/Market FRESH coupons, depending on the price of your CSA food box, you can only use the Senior coupons on one box or a portion of one box. Be sure to ask your CSA program if they can accept Senior Project FRESH coupons as payment when you sign up to receive your box.