NYC Boosts Farmers Market Benefits For SNAP Recipients

NEW YORK CITY—New Yorkers who receive food assistance will be able to get up to $4 more per day for fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets starting in January, a 40 percent increase that raises the daily maximum to $14.

The Health Bucks program matches every $2 spent on fresh produce by people enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps low-income households pay for groceries.

The City will raise the daily maximum from $10 to $14 in January 2027, allowing recipients to receive up to $4 more a day.

Recipients can use Health Bucks coupons to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at more than 100 farmers markets and farm stands across New York City.

The City funds the program alongside $5.7 million in new federal grant funding through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, which supports efforts to increase fruit and vegetable purchases among SNAP recipients.

Nearly eight in 10 adults at risk of food insecurity reported difficulty affording balanced meals, while 18 percent had eaten no fruits or vegetables the previous day, according to new research from the city Health Department.

Nearly one-third had received food from emergency services, including food pantries.