What is the Double Up Food Bucks Program in WNY

Cheryl Bilinski, Local Food Systems Specialist, Farm to School Lead
Harvest New York

June 19, 2014
What is the Double Up Food Bucks Program in WNY

In partnership with lead agency, Field and Fork Network, Harvest NY has forged a national partnership with Fair Food Network to pilot their highly successful program, Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB), in Western NY farmers markets. Using philanthropic funds and existing infrastructure -- farmers markets and EBT - the mechanism SNAP recipients use to receive their benefits -- DUFB matches SNAP purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets up to $20 per visit, to be used on fresh fruit and vegetables grown in NYS. Double Up Food Bucks operates for 16-18 weeks during the peak harvest season, June - October. 

The program aims to meet 3 goals:
1) Improve access to and affordability of fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income families

2) Grow the local economy by supporting purchases from local farmers

3) Inform public policy so that incentives for purchasing healthy foods are built in as part of government-funded nutrition benefits.



This program began in Michigan and was hugely successful. For more information about the history of the program and its movement in Western New York, visit the Field & Fork Network website.

This program has been made possible through the generous support of the John R. Oishei Foundation, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, the First Niagara Foundation and Univera Healthcare.



Upcoming Events

BQLT Monthly Gardener Gathering

November 1, 2025
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
East Elmhurst (Queens), NY

Please join us for our BQLT Monthly Gardener Gathering on Saturday, November 1 from11:00 AM-12:30 PM at McIntosh Neighborhood Garden in East Elmhurst, Queens. Come learn how this host garden has been addressing their complex lead/heavy metal soil test results by drawing from several free resources: Green Thumb, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and NYC's veterans' volunteer platoon, The Mission Continues. 

Announcements

New Produce Auctions in NYS!

With the opening of the new Augusta Produce Auction on August 19th, New York State now has 11 produce auctions! See the new map of produce auction locations across the state and contact information.

New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Fact Sheet Series

Cornell Cooperative Extension has partnered with dozens of urban farms across New York State to demonstrate and evaluate sustainable pest management strategies. Together with farmers, we found success using control methods that prevent or reduce crop losses through exclusion strategies, crop timing, host resistance, the introduction of beneficial organisms, and more. Regardless of management strategy used, common requirements for success include a knowledge of the pest and disease complex, preventative deployment and commitment to the process. The New York Urban Farms Sustainable Pest Management Fact Sheet Series includes case studies highlighting pest management techniques that New York urban farms have found valuable.