Posted June 2, 2010
Most people know about the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for low-income people, formerly called the Food Stamp Program.
But did you know a SNAP card can be used to buy seeds and plants for growing your own food?
Reader Sally Willoughby pointed out that they’re among the items listed as eligible on the program’s Web site, http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap. That’s a good deal, because those seeds or plants can produce food worth many times its initial cost.
There’s a catch, though: The items must be purchased from authorized retailers. Nurseries and garden centers wouldn’t be among them, but large grocery stores sometimes carry seeds and food plants. The USDA is also encouraging farmers markets to obtain authorization, and some may sell those items.
In Ohio, you can apply for SNAP through the state Department of Job and Family Services office in your county. To find it, look in the government section of the phone book under your county’s listings, call 866-244-0071 or visit http://jfs.ohio.gov/county/County_Directory.pdf and click on the name of your county.
The office should also be able to provide the names of authorized retailers.
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Copyright © 2010, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio