Double Up Food Bucks Western NY Report, 2014-2015
Cheryl Bilinski, Local Food Systems Specialist, Farm to School Lead
Harvest New York
Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) uses existing infrastructure -- farmers markets and EBT - the mechanism SNAP recipients use to receive their benefits -- to improve access to and affordability of fresh fruits and vegetables for low-income individuals and families and grow the local food economy by supporting purchases from local farmers.
In our 2014 pilot season DUFB was administered at 7 area farmers markets, spanning 3 counties. In 2015, the DUFB program expanded to 15 farmers markets, including a mobile market, spanning five counties.
Marketing and outreach are key components of a successful DUFB program. Field & Fork Network provides the farmers markets with hands-on training and a variety of marketing and promotion tools including: flyers & posters, banners, signage for participating vendors.
Community partnerships such as our partnership with EatSmart NY, the SNAP education program for New York State, has proven beneficial in enhancing the program for participants by providing nutrition education, cooking demonstrations and recipes.
For more information on the DUFB results in Buffalo, download the Double Up Food Bucks Western NY Report, 2014-2015 below.
DUFB 2014-2015 Final Report (pdf; 3635KB)
Upcoming Events
CRAFT Urban Farmer Meet up
June 23, 2026
5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Long Island City, NY
Kick off the growing season with a networking event where growers can have conversations about plans for this year and discuss opportunities for collaboration. Members from the Harvest NY team will talk about the Urban Ag Labor Study. Food and seedlings will be provided. Urban Farming from the Ground Up
July 2, 2026
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Bronx, NY
Join CCE Harvest NY Specialist, Karen Guzman, to turn a community center into an urban farm! This is an open volunteer event, join us! Urban Agroforestry Summit
July 14, 2026
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
New York, NY
Learn and network with urban agroforestry practitioners, service providers and city government partners on ways to scale agroforestry in NYCJoin the Cornell Small Farms Program and Harvest New York for the first annual NYC Urban Agroforestry Summit. Begin the day by learning from invited speakers who will explore the evolution, current landscape, and future potential of agroforestry within New York City's food systems and urban forestry initiatives.
Announcements
Community Gardens Soil Testing Program Accepting Applications
Soil testing supports the growth and expansion of community gardens by protecting the health and safety of the food produced in these gardens. CCE Harvest NY, in partnership with the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets (AGM) and the Cornell Soil Health Lab, is offering eligible, food-producing gardens in New York State the opportunity to send soil samples for testing without charge.The soil test will analyze samples for heavy metals and nutrient levels. Test results help gardeners make appropriate plans to produce high quality fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Technical support and education for participating growers will be available from the CCE Harvest New York team. Learn more about the 2026 Community Gardens Soil Testing Program.