Farmers Markets That Accept SNAP/EBT: Complete Directory

Top TLDR:

Farmers markets that accept SNAP/EBT give food assistance recipients direct access to fresh, locally grown produce — often with incentive programs that double their purchasing power. This directory explains how EBT acceptance works at markets, how to find participating locations nationwide, and how organizations like Kelly's Kitchen in Western North Carolina help connect communities to these resources. Search your area now through Kelly's Kitchen's Food Security Network.

Fresh food should be accessible to everyone — not just to people who can afford full grocery store prices or who happen to live near a well-stocked supermarket. Farmers markets that accept SNAP and EBT benefits are one of the most direct ways to close that gap, putting locally grown fruits, vegetables, proteins, and dairy within reach for millions of households on food assistance.

But finding markets that actually accept EBT, understanding how the payment process works, and knowing about incentive programs that stretch those dollars even further — that information isn't always easy to locate, especially for communities in rural or under-resourced areas. Kelly's Kitchen built this guide to change that. Whether you're in Western North Carolina, Appalachia, or anywhere across the country, you deserve clear, practical information about where and how to use your SNAP benefits at a farmers market.

Why Farmers Markets Matter for Food Assistance Recipients

The connection between food assistance and fresh food access is more complicated than it should be. SNAP benefits can technically be used to buy produce at grocery stores — but in food desert communities, those stores are either far away, poorly stocked with fresh items, or priced beyond what a limited monthly benefit can realistically sustain. Farmers markets fill a different role: they bring local, seasonal food directly into communities, often with significantly better quality and variety than what's available on the shelves of a corner store or small rural grocer.

For communities like those Kelly's Kitchen serves in Western North Carolina and the broader Appalachian region — where food desert conditions are common and transportation barriers are real — farmers markets can serve as a genuine primary source of fresh food rather than a supplemental option. When those markets accept EBT and participate in incentive programs that double SNAP dollars, they become one of the most powerful food justice tools available at the community level.

Beyond the food itself, farmers markets also build relationships between eaters and growers, support local agricultural economies, and create spaces where food sovereignty is practiced rather than just discussed. For communities with deep agricultural heritage — including the Lowcountry and Southern traditions that inform Kelly's Kitchen's founding story — that connection carries cultural significance alongside nutritional value.

How EBT Works at Farmers Markets

Using SNAP benefits at a farmers market works differently than swiping an EBT card at a grocery store register. Most markets use one of two systems, and knowing which your local market uses helps you prepare before you arrive.

Token or voucher systems are the most common method. At the market information booth or manager's table, you swipe your EBT card for a dollar amount of your choosing. The market issues you wooden tokens, paper vouchers, or plastic coins in that same amount. You then use those tokens or vouchers as cash with individual vendors throughout the market. At the end of the market, vendors turn in their collected tokens and the market reimburses them. This system works well because individual vendors don't need to invest in their own card readers — the market handles the transaction centrally.

Direct EBT card readers are used at some larger markets where individual vendors have invested in wireless point-of-sale equipment. In this case, you swipe your card directly at the vendor's stand. This is less common at smaller community markets but is increasingly available as technology costs have come down.

In both cases, SNAP benefits can only be used for eligible food items — fresh produce, meat, dairy, eggs, and seeds or plants that produce food. Prepared foods sold at market stalls, crafts, and non-food items are not eligible for SNAP purchase.

If you're uncertain whether a specific market accepts EBT before you travel there, call ahead or check their website. Kelly's Kitchen's Food Security Network lists food access resources with relevant accessibility and eligibility details — a useful starting point for locating verified options in your region.

Double Up Food Bucks and SNAP Incentive Programs

One of the most important developments in food assistance and farmers market access over the past decade is the expansion of produce incentive programs — and the most widely known is Double Up Food Bucks.

Double Up Food Bucks is a nationally operating incentive program that matches SNAP dollars spent at participating farmers markets and grocery stores with an equal amount of free money to spend on additional fruits and vegetables. Spend $10 in SNAP at a participating market, receive $10 more in Double Up tokens to spend on produce — effectively doubling your fresh food purchasing power at no additional cost.

The program is funded in part through the GusNIP (Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program), a federal grant program that supports produce incentive initiatives across the country. Kelly's Kitchen actively supports the GusNIP Improvement Act, which would expand funding and access for these programs — particularly in underserved communities. You can find advocacy resources and information on GusNIP on our Resources page.

Not every state or every market participates in Double Up Food Bucks, but the program has expanded significantly and now operates in dozens of states. To find a participating market near you, the Double Up Food Bucks website maintains a national directory. In states where Double Up isn't available, many markets run their own local incentive programs — sometimes called "Fresh Bucks," "Market Match," or similar names. Always ask the market manager whether any incentive program is available when you arrive.

For residents of Western North Carolina, checking with local agricultural extension offices and food justice organizations — including those listed in Kelly's Kitchen's Food Security Network — is the most reliable way to identify which nearby markets are currently participating.

How to Find Farmers Markets That Accept SNAP/EBT Near You

There are several reliable ways to locate EBT-accepting markets across the country, and using more than one source gives you the most complete picture.

USDA Farmers Market Directory — The USDA maintains a searchable national database of farmers markets, including a filter for markets that accept SNAP and EBT. This is the most comprehensive national source and is regularly updated by market operators. Visit the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service website and search by city, state, or zip code.

Kelly's Kitchen Food Security Network — Our Food Security Network covers food banks, food pantries, farms, and food justice organizations across the country, with searchable listings by zip code and accessibility information for people with disabilities. For Western North Carolina and Appalachian communities, this network reflects local knowledge about what's actually available — including rural farms and markets that may not appear in national databases.

State and local agricultural department websites — Most state departments of agriculture maintain their own lists of certified farmers markets, many of which include EBT acceptance information. These lists are often the most current for your specific region.

Calling the market directly — When in doubt, call ahead. Farmers market managers can tell you immediately whether EBT is accepted, which system they use, what hours the information booth is staffed, and whether any incentive programs are available. This also gives you an opportunity to ask about accessible parking, physical layout, and any other accommodations you may need.

Local food justice organizations — Organizations working on food access in your community often maintain their own resource lists and can provide direct referrals. Kelly's Kitchen's contact page is always open to questions about finding food resources in Western NC and beyond.

Accessibility at Farmers Markets: What to Look For

Finding a market that accepts EBT is only the first step. For people with disabilities, chronic illness, or mobility limitations, actually navigating a farmers market requires additional considerations that standard directories often don't address.

Physical accessibility varies enormously between markets. Outdoor markets on grass or gravel can be difficult for wheelchair users or people using mobility aids. Markets held in parking lots or on paved surfaces are generally more navigable. Some markets have designated accessible parking, while others require walking significant distances from remote parking areas. Asking the market manager about layout and parking before your first visit saves unnecessary difficulty.

Operating hours matter for people who face fatigue or who have care responsibilities that limit when they can travel. Some markets run Saturday mornings only — a time that doesn't work for everyone. Checking whether your local market has multiple operating days or extended hours gives you more flexibility.

Vendor concentration affects whether the trip is worth it. A market with only two or three vendors may not have enough variety to justify travel costs, especially if your goal is to cover a significant portion of your weekly fresh food needs. Larger markets with 15 or more vendors typically offer the widest selection of produce, proteins, and dairy.

Sensory environment can be a barrier for some individuals with sensory processing differences, autism, or anxiety. Large, loud, crowded markets on peak days may be challenging. Many markets are quieter in the final hour before closing — a practical tip for anyone who benefits from lower-stimulation environments.

Kelly's Kitchen's Nourishment Beyond the Plate program and Kitchen Tools and Equipment resources are built on the same principle that applies here: accessibility isn't an add-on. It is a baseline requirement for food justice to actually function.

What to Buy at Farmers Markets on SNAP

Once you're at a market with EBT tokens in hand, knowing what to prioritize helps you get the most nutritional and economic value from each visit.

In-season produce is the biggest advantage of farmers markets over grocery stores. Seasonal vegetables and fruits are at their peak nutrition, taste better, and are priced lower than out-of-season equivalents. In Western NC and the broader Southeast, spring brings greens, strawberries, and early root vegetables. Summer brings tomatoes, corn, summer squash, peppers, cucumbers, and beans. Fall brings sweet potatoes, winter squash, apples, and greens again. Shopping seasonally is also a deeply rooted practice in Southern and Appalachian food culture — one that farmers markets help preserve and celebrate.

Eggs and meat from local farms are often available at farmers markets and are SNAP-eligible. Pasture-raised eggs from a local vendor may cost slightly more per dozen than grocery store eggs but offer quality and freshness that is worth prioritizing when your budget allows.

Dry beans and grains are sometimes available from local grain farmers and are excellent SNAP-eligible purchases that stretch across many meals. Not every market carries these, but when available they're worth picking up.

Seeds and food-producing plants are SNAP-eligible at farmers markets — an often-overlooked category. Buying a tomato transplant or a packet of bean seeds with SNAP benefits can produce a season's worth of produce from a small home or community garden plot. This is one of the most high-leverage uses of SNAP dollars available and is particularly powerful in combination with the gardening resources on Kelly's Kitchen's Resources page.

Stacking Farmers Market Access with Other Food Resources

Farmers market visits are most powerful when they're part of a layered food security strategy rather than a standalone resource. Combining regular market visits with SNAP grocery shopping, food pantry access, and community programs creates a more resilient household food supply.

Kelly's Kitchen's pop-up pantry map helps Western NC residents identify mobile food distributions that can supplement fresh produce purchases. Our Little Free Pantry program creates neighborhood-level access to dry and canned staples between formal distributions — freeing up SNAP dollars at the farmers market for fresh items that pantries rarely carry.

For households where cooking fresh produce feels like a barrier — whether due to disability, limited kitchen equipment, or lack of cooking confidence — Kelly's Kitchen's Nourishment Beyond the Plate program builds exactly the skills needed to turn a bag of market vegetables into nourishing, accessible meals. The program provides adaptive cooking tools, hands-on instruction, and locally sourced ingredients to community members with disabilities across the country.

Good food access is never just one resource. It's the combination — and Kelly's Kitchen is committed to helping communities build that combination in ways that are genuinely accessible, culturally relevant, and rooted in food justice.

If you want to learn more, find local resources, or connect with our team, visit our contact page or explore the full range of tools and programs at kellys-kitchen.org.

Bottom TLDR:

Farmers markets that accept SNAP/EBT provide food assistance recipients with direct access to fresh, local produce — especially when paired with incentive programs like Double Up Food Bucks that can double purchasing power. Kelly's Kitchen's Food Security Network helps people in Western North Carolina and across the country find EBT-accepting markets, farms, and food resources searchable by zip code. Visit kellys-kitchen.org/food-security-network to find verified local options near you.