About Maine Harvest Bucks

Maine Harvest Bucks helps 10,000+ Mainers live healthier lives every year. With Maine Harvest Bucks, people who shop with SNAP/EBT (formerly food stamps) earn BONUS BUCKS to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers.

Maine Harvest Bucks is available at farmers’ markets, CSA’s, and farm stands across Maine. The program operates slightly different depending on which “outlet type” - farmers’ market, CSA, or farm stand - you shop at.

At farmers’ markets, shoppers earn BONUS bucks with their SNAP/EBT purchases to go buy fruits and vegetables.
At CSA’s and farm stands, they likely get a 50% discount on their fruit and vegetable purchases.

In 2021, Maine Harvest Bucks (MHB) led to over to over $700,000 in local food purchased by more than 6,000 Maine households using SNAP/EBT. That $700,000 goes directly into the hands of Maine farmers, boosting their bottom line and the local economy that these farmers support.

Who runs Maine Harvest Bucks?

Maine Harvest Bucks is run by a collaboration of organizations: Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets (MFFM), Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), St. Mary’s Nutrition Center (SMNC), and Cultivating Community.

Starting in 2015, these partners have been administering and implementing the Maine Harvest Bucks program at direct to consumer locations. Each program partner claims ownership of certain Maine Harvest Bucks “outlets”:

Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands are managed by the Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA’s) are managed by MOFGA
The Good Food Bus is managed by SMNC
Mobile markets are managed by Cultivating Community
Small grocery stores are managed by Good Shepherd Food Bank, via our sister program, Farm Fresh Rewards

Questions about Maine Harvest Bucks at farmers’ markets or farm stands?

Farmers’ markets & Farm stands: Jimmy DeBiasi SNAP@mffm.org (207-370-1524)

Questions about Maine Harvest Bucks at other site types?

CSAs: Madi Whaley - mwhaley@mofga.org

Good Food Bus: Sherie Blumenthal - sblumenthal@stmarysmaine.com

Mobile farm stands: Brenda Peluso - bpeluso@cultivatingcommunity.org

Questions about Farm Fresh Rewards (MHB’s sister brand at small store locations)?

Co-ops and food hubs: Courtney Kennedy, ckennedy@gsfb.org

About Maine Harvest Bucks

Maine Harvest Bucks helps 10,000+ Mainers live healthier lives every year. With Maine Harvest Bucks, people who shop with SNAP/EBT (formerly food stamps) earn BONUS BUCKS to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers.

Maine Harvest Bucks is available at farmers’ markets, CSA’s, and farm stands across Maine. The program operates slightly different depending on which “outlet type” - farmers’ market, CSA, or farm stand - you shop at.

At farmers’ markets, shoppers earn BONUS bucks with their SNAP/EBT purchases to go buy fruits and vegetables.

At CSA’s and farm stands, they likely get a 50% discount on their fruit and vegetable purchases.

In 2021, Maine Harvest Bucks (MHB) led to over to over $700,000 in local food purchased by more than 6,000 Maine households using SNAP/EBT. That $700,000 goes directly into the hands of Maine farmers, boosting their bottom line and the local economy that these farmers support.

Who runs Maine Harvest Bucks?