How do I get CalFresh tokens for farmers markets? Are they different from my EBT card?

You don't need to get anything special ahead of time! When you get to the farmers market, look for the market manager's booth or information tent. They'll have a machine where you can swipe your EBT card and tell them how much you want to withdraw from your CalFresh benefits. Then they'll give you tokens (usually wooden or plastic) in that amount that you can use like cash with any vendor who accepts CalFresh. Most markets also participate in Market Match, which means they'll match your CalFresh dollars up to a certain amount (usually $10-20) giving you extra tokens for free to spend on fruits and vegetables!

ya i do this all the time its awesome. just go to the main tent and they swipe ur card and give u these little wooden coins. best part is the free money they give u with market match, i get $15 extra everytime i go

The CalFresh tokens are such a life-saver for my family! We use them every Sunday at our local market. Just FYI - most markets require you to use the tokens that same day, so don't get more than you plan to spend. Also, vendors CAN'T give you change from the tokens, so you need to spend the full token amount. For example, if something costs $3.50 and you give them a $5 token, you lose that $1.50. Took me a couple trips to figure out how to shop most efficiently with them!

To add a bit more detail to what others have said: The tokens are part of what's called the "Market Match" program in California. It's designed to encourage CalFresh recipients to shop at farmers markets for fresh, healthy foods. The matching funds are usually provided by grants and non-profits to promote healthy eating. Important things to know: 1. Different markets have different matching amounts ($10-$20 is common) 2. The matching tokens are usually only good for fruits and vegetables 3. Regular CalFresh tokens can buy any CalFresh-eligible food 4. You do need to use them the same day at most markets 5. Always check the market's schedule as some are seasonal It's one of the best benefits of the CalFresh program that not enough people know about!

This token system is RIDICULOUS and just another way they make it complicated for people who need help. Why can't we just use our EBT cards directly with the vendors?? I've been to THREE different farmers markets and each one has different rules about their tokens and matching amounts. One place would only match $5, another did $15, and the third one was out of matching funds completely! Plus standing in that line at the beginning is embarrassing when everyone can see you're using CalFresh.

Has anyone here had trouble getting through to their CalFresh worker to ask questions about farmers market benefits? I've been trying to find out if I can use my EBT card at multiple markets in the same week (for the matching funds at each one), but I've been on hold for HOURS with my county office. I finally tried Claimyr.com and they got me through to a real person in like 15 minutes! There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8. The worker told me that yes, you can definitely use your benefits at multiple markets and get the match at each one as long as you stay within your monthly benefit amount.

ok so i tried gettin these tokens last week n the lady said they only do market match for fruits n veggies, not for the bread n eggs i wanted to buy. is that right or was she confused??

Thanks everyone for all this helpful information! I went to my farmers market yesterday and tried the token system. It was so easy! I swiped my EBT card for $20 and they gave me $20 in wooden tokens PLUS another $15 in Market Match tokens for fruits and vegetables! I got so much more food than I would have at the grocery store. The produce was fresher too. Just wanted to update and say thanks for explaining how it all works!

This is such great information! I had no idea about the token system either. One thing I'd add - if you're planning to go regularly, it helps to ask the market manager what their busiest times are so you can avoid the long lines. At my market, they said Saturday mornings right when they open (8am) and Sunday afternoons (around 2pm) are the worst. I started going on Saturday around 10am and there's usually no wait at all. Also, some markets will let you call ahead to ask about their current Market Match funding status so you don't show up when they've run out for the day.