Device will allow customers to make debit and food stamp purchases

Two of the mid-valley's three farmers' markets now take food stamps and debit cards.

The farmers' markets in Corvallis and Albany, with assistance from Ten Rivers Food Web, the Oregon State University anthropology department and several other organizations, recently acquired an electronic card reader. The device will be shared by the Wednesday market in Corvallis and the Saturday market in Albany.

The idea is to make fresh, locally produced foodstuffs available to people of all income levels, said Rivka Weinsteiger of Ten Rivers Food Web.

"There's a lot of people in the community that believe highly nutritious food should be accessible to all people at all times," Weinsteiger said.

While the card reader operates like a point-of-sale device at a store, it's being used as part of a cashless system for both food stamp and debit card transactions.

Food stamp recipients can swipe their benefit cards in the machine to receive a portion of their monthly food stamp allotment in $1 tokens redeemable for food items at market booths. No cash will be given in change, and the tokens can't be used at restaurant stalls.

Debit card users can draw money on a bank account, but instead of cash they'll receive $5 market tokens. Those tokens can be redeemed at any market booth, and unlike the $1 food stamp tokens, users can get their change in cash from market vendors.

Weinsteiger said a portion of the $1.50 fee for debit card transactions will help support the new program.

"That's why we're hoping people will use their debit cards there," she said.

Weinsteiger said it cost about $1,000 to purchase the card-reading equipment, and there's a monthly fee for its use. Because of cost considerations, there are no immediate plans to purchase another machine for the Corvallis Saturday Farmers' Market, which operates during the same hours as the Albany market.

"Those aren't cheap pieces of equipment," she said.

Area farmers' markets already participate in the Women, Infants & Children and Senior Farmers' Market nutrition programs.

Farmers' markets

Wednesdays: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds, 110 S.W. 53rd St., Corvallis

Saturdays: 9 a.m., to 1 p.m., Fourth Avenue at Ellsworth Street Southwest, Albany, and Northwest First Street at Jackson Avenue, Corvallis

Bennett Hall can be reached at 758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net.