The Los Angeles City Council Friday unanimously approved legislation requiring farmers markets across the city to accept CalFresh EBT cards.
Councilmember Jose Huizar worked with the Los Angeles Food Policy Council and Los Angeles Community Action Network on the proposal after the organizations approached him with the idea.
“By requiring EBT at all farmers markets, we are one step closer to closing the gap in food access and addressing food insecurity for low-income Angelenos,” Huizar said in a press release.
On Tuesday Huizar and the Food Policy Council will host a sign up fair for farmers markets to accept CalFresh on the south lawn steps of Los Angeles City Hall.
Officials from the United States Department of Agriculture are expected to authorize farmers’ market managers as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program retailers that day, a process that usually takes up to two months. Managers can then begin using the necessary EBT technology as soon as possible.
For more information on the importance of EBT access at farmers markets, or the implementation process, visit Los Angeles Food Policy Council’s EBT at farmers markets frequently asked questions page.