Farmers Market Programming at EBT The Next Generation

At the EBT Next Generation conference, we invite you to attend the Farmers Market bonus session Monday, November 9 from 5 to 6 p.m. This session is called a “BONUS” session because it is late after a full day of information BUT we do hope you will come to our session as we promise to provide you with many BONUSES to end your conference day!

There will be three outstanding speakers sharing information with our audience. Ms. Jan Walters, EBT Director from the State of Iowa, has a national reputation for her passionate and strong beliefs on the many benefits farmers’ markets bring to the entire community. Jan will share with our group the most recent helpful information on the various Farmers Market Nutrition programs, including WIC and Senior programs.

Ms. Shari Akin, Senior Account Manager from eFunds Government Solutions has done significant research into the many benefits made available through the 2008 Farm Bill including the vast number of available grants, how to find them, how to apply and WIN grant money with very helpful tips, specific websites and how-to information and these are the topics she will focus upon at the session.

We will also have a special guest at this workshop from one of the most successful markets organizations in the country. Ms. Latifia Carter, Finance Director from the Market Umbrella group which operates Crescent City Farmers Market right in New Orleans will be among our guests. Latifia will share with us some of the many challenges they have experienced in New Orleans before and after Hurricane Katrina, and she will discuss with us some of the extremely creative programs their organization has continued to introduce in their ongoing efforts to build a broad customer base from the community where they accept EBT cards, credit and debit cards.

Latifia will share information about one of their recently completed summer programs called Market Match where seniors and WIC recipients were able to receive a full MATCH, dollar for dollar, of their USDA FMNP and WIC benefits in exchange for taking a fun nutritional education or cooking class! They are measuring the success of this program now in hopes to continue and expand upon it next year!

Many other markets around the US participated in similar programs this past summer. The theme of the Crescent City Farmers Market says so much about them. It is, “Learning, sharing and growing, marketumbrella.org cultivates community markets that utilize local resources to bolster authentic local traditions. We believe that ambitious social, health, environmental and financial goals are achieved if trust and respect are present. We envision communities of market umbrellas, like flowers in the field, opening all over the world for the public good.

Please consider attending the EBT Next Generation Conference in New Orleans this year. If you are able to join us, please add the extra hour to your day on Monday and participate in this bonus workshop where we promise to make that extra hour worth your time!

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EBT The Next Generation will take place October 8-10 at the Inter-Continental Hotel in New Orleans, La. It will feature:

• 4 workshops
• 4 plenary sessions
• 3 roundtable sessions
• 10 concurrent sessions
• 3 bonus sessions
• 2 social activities

There is still time to register. For more information or to register, click here.