EBT 101 by Melissa Wolfe, Ohio Farmer's Market Conference 2014
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Ohio EBT 2014 EBT 101
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Outlines the basis for farmers markets in Ohio to accept food stamps via Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.
Transcript of EBT 101 by Melissa Wolfe, Ohio Farmer's Market Conference 2014
Ohio
EBT
2014
EBT 101
Topics
SNAP?
What is EBT
Benefits
Things to Consider
Application
How does it work
Advertisement
Online Directory
Contact Info
EBT 101
SNAP?
2008 – FS to SNAP, OH=FA
The United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition
Services (FNS) provides funding for
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) benefits for each state.
EBT 101
Ohio benefits are county-issued
and state monitored
What is EBTElectronic Benefit Transfer is the process where Food Assistance benefits are electronically transferred from the recipient’s account to the retailer’s account when the client is purchasing eligible food items.
Ohio Food Assistance benefits are issued via the Ohio Direction Card
*to see a list of food items eligible for purchase using Food Assistance benefits, visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items
EBT 101
Benefits of Accepting EBT
New customers – expand your customer
base
Increased sales
Improve local economy
Promote healthy food choices
EBT 101
Things to Consider1. Setup:
• Equipment & utility costs
• Market procedures
• Design & create market materials
2. Operating and Labor Costs• Staff/Volunteers
• Farmer agreements
• EBT/SNAP training
• Continued promotion
3. Record Keeping• Track aggregate totals monthly,
yearly, and by vendor
• Track returns and credits – EBT customers are not to receive cash or change
• Incentives – if offered by the market
EBT 101
Application
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ebt/learn-about-snap-benefits-farmers-markets
EBT 101
Application (cont.)
Same application is used for all applicants
FNS application processing can take up to 45 days
Initial application questions or to request a paper application, call 1-877-823-4369
To check on a submitted online application, log into your FNS account
To check on an existing paper application, contact Robin Masters 317-510-7226 or [email protected]
EBT 101
How Does it Work?After becoming certified by the USDA, each
market decides how to process the EBT payments.
EBT-Only Point of Sale (POS) Terminals
Manual Vouchers with POS Terminal
Manual Vouchers without POS Terminal
Third Party Processor (TPP) POS Terminal
Wireless TPP POS Terminals
EBT 101
EBT-Only POS Terminal
EBT 101
1. FNS Certification
2. Vendor Contract
3. Equipment & training
Must have electric and phone line
Manual Vouchers with POS 2-ply voucher completed on site
Contact vendor customer service for voucher authorization
number
Customer signs, market manager signs
Voucher is dated
Copy to customer
Market manager enters voucher through POS within 10 calendar
days
EBT 101
Manual Voucher without POS
Market manager completes 3-ply
voucher
Obtain voucher authorization number
Signatures and date on voucher
Copy to customer
Copy for market manager files
Copy mailed to Xerox
EBT 101
TPP Terminals
Third Party Provider (TPP) – not state vendor
TPPs typically accept credit cards in addition to
EBT transactions
When researching a TPP, be sure to specifically
ask if they support Ohio EBT Transactions
Markets must research and compare
EBT 101
Wireless TPP Terminals
USDA, has awarded a contract to the National Association of Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs (NAFMNP) to help increase the acceptance of SNAP benefits at farmers markets nationwide.
Marketlink.org is using WorldPay and Novo Dia Group
Talk with other markets about
which TPP they use
EBT 101
Centralized POS
The majority of markets utilize a centralized
POS and issue tokens or scrip for customers
to use like money as they shop.
EBT 101
Centralized POS (cont.)
Some markets use a centralized POS and
the receipt system.
EBT 101
Advertisement
EBT recipients receive a system-generated notice in the mail listing all FM’s in their residential zip code that accept EBT
ODJFS Twitter Account
https://twitter.com/OhioJFS
ODJFS Facebook account https://www.facebook.com/OhioJFS
ODJFS Pinterest Board http://www.pinterest.com/OhioJFS/ohio-ebt-farmers-market/
Farmer’s Market listed on the ODJFS Online Directory
EBT 101
ODJFS Online Directory http://jfs.ohio.gov/ofam/OhioEBTFa
mersMarketParticipants2013.stm
OH EBT 2014
Contact
• Melissa Wolfe 614-752-0483 [email protected]
• Christina Thomas 614-644-1319 [email protected]
• http://jfs.ohio.gov/ofam/EBT-Farmers-Market.stm
EBT 101
