MarketLink MarketLink, a program of Farmers Food Assistance Bureau, is a USDA grant program that connects direct-market farmers and farmers markets with mobile application-based equipment for accepting SNAP/EBT, eWIC, and credit/debit. MarketLink also partners with Maryland Market Money on its e-incentives pilot. Maryland SNAP-Ed The nutrition education arm of SNAP. Provides nutrition education resources, technical assistance, and training throughout Maryland to improve food security for families experiencing food insecurity. Online SNAP The ability to accept online orders through an eCommerce platform and accept online SNAP/EBT payments. P-EBT – Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer Also called Pandemic-EBT, this benefit connects families who have lower incomes and children with food dollars equivalent to the value of the meals missed due to COVID-related school and childcare closures. P-EBT benefits are issued sometimes on an Independence Card and sometimes on a standalone P-EBT card. POS – Point of Sale Device A POS or point of sale is a device that is used to process transactions by retail customers. A cash register is a type of POS. The cash register has largely been replaced by electronic POS terminals that can be used to process electronic benefits as well as credit cards and debit cards and even tracking cash sales. SMADC – Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission SMADC supports farms, farmers, and the future of agriculture. Its mission is to cultivate a dynamic food system that is profitable for farmers and producers, empowering for communities, and environmentally sound. SNAP – Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program This is the national name for the program formerly called the Food Stamp Program. This is the largest federal nutrition assistance program, allowing millions of Americans to stretch their food dollars. As of April 2023, 42.4 million Americans used SNAP/EBT. Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, SNAP/EBT use has increased dramatically. Because benefits are no longer distributed on paper vouchers, the name was changed nationally to SNAP. USDA – United States Department of Agriculture This is the federal government agency that administers federal nutrition benefits. Vendor-Level System A vendor-level system requires each eligible vendor to have their own SNAP/EBT point of sale equipment to accept SNAP/EBT, P-EBT, credit/debit benefits directly from customers at the market. No SNAP tokens or vouchers are required for system implementation. WIC – Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children The USDA provides funding for WIC benefits. In Maryland, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) administers the program. WIC is a supplemental nutrition program for pregnant women, new mothers, and children up to age five. Benefits are loaded onto eWIC electronic debit cards including the Cash Value Benefit (WIC-CVB) for fruits and vegetables. WIC-CVB – Cash Value Benefit for Fruits and Vegetables WIC benefits are loaded onto eWIC electronic debit cards, including the WIC Cash Value Benefit (WIC-CVB) for fruits and vegetables. This benefit can be spent at grocery stores and can be redeemed by certified farmers at farmers markets with one of the two necessary eWIC applications for smart devices to process the benefit. The USDA provides funding and the program is administered by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH).
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