FreshConnect and Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs Update: Program Season Extended Statewide

The following alerts come from the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets program staff.

Due to the severe weather conditions the downstate region experienced as a result of Hurricane Sandy, in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the NYFarmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) has been granted permission to extend the program season statewide as follows:

·         Recipients may continue to exchange FMNP checks for fresh, local produce through Saturday, December 1^st  

·         Authorized farmers may continue to deposit FMNP checks at KeyBank branches through Friday, December 14^th

Farmers who experience any difficulty transacting their FMNP checks at non-KeyBank branches should continue to contact our agency for support. Given the deadline extension we will not be in a position to reimburse for “late checks” after December 14^th, 2012. Also, keep in mind that while farmers may deposit any volume of checks, no more than 250 checks per day may be cashed “on-the-spot” at KeyBank branches. All other program rules and regulations apply.

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Due to the severe weather conditions the downstate farmers marketing region experienced as a result of Hurricane Sandy, the FreshConnect Program has decided to extend the program season statewide as follows:

·         Fresh Connect Checks may be issued to SNAP recipients through Saturday, December 1^st, 2012

·         Fresh Connect Checks may be exchanged for SNAP eligible food items through Saturday, December 1^st, 2012

·         Fresh Connect Checks may be submitted for reimbursement through Friday, December 14^th , 2012

In addition, due to the power outages in your farmers market region, and the fact that SNAP EBT wireless terminals require electricity to operate, special permission to issue Fresh Connect Checks is being granted as follows:

·         At farmers markets operating in the affected region, Fresh Connect Checks may be issued to SNAP recipients without the purchase of $5.00 of SNAP benefits. Maximum issuance of checks in this way should be $10.00, or five (5) Fresh Connect Checks, per SNAP recipient, per market day.

Farmers who experience any difficulty reimbursing their Fresh Connect Checks should continue to contact our agency for support. All other program rules and regulations apply.