Back in May, the USDA expanded the acceptance of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards at farmers’ markets. This expansion requires an additional $4million for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to increase access to healthy food for low-income communities. This $4million will be allocated to states to set up EBT programs at farmers’ markets. North Carolina received $109,631 to implement the program.
The federal government should not spend taxpayer money to influence individuals’ food and health choices, and doing so does not guarantee that their choices will be any more healthful. Farmers’ markets often have more products than simply vegetables and the USDA did not set any guidelines for what products could and could not be purchased with the EBT credits. This week a farmers’ market in Massachusetts is fighting to force a business owner to accept EBT for her product.
The Inquisitr reports that,
Welfare for whoopie pies is not a possibility at the Ever So Humble Pie Company owned by Andrea Taber – no matter how much the leaders at the local farmers market complain. The Boston area gourmet bakery controversy is rapidly emerging as the newest battleground in the welfare policy war in America. The Braintree Farmers Market is reportedly pressuring Ever So Humble Pie Company to accept EBT cards for her baked desserts. Andrea Taber is holding firm in her belief that taxpayers should not be paying for gourmet sweets for welfare recipients.
Many people who oppose Ms. Taber’s stance accuse the baker of discriminating against low-income minorities. However, she made clear in an interview with Fox and Friends that she is “happy to sell her whoopie pies and other baked goods to everyone, but feels the customer should pay for the sweet treats and not the American taxpayers.”
This is a very promising story. The Ever So Humble Pie Company is forgoing profits in order to stand up against growing entitlement policies in America. Hopefully the vendors in North Carolina’s markets will take a lesson from Ms. Taber and not let the prospect of increased sales entice them to accept EBT if their product is not what the program is intended for.
