ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Implementing a Farmers’ Market Incentive Program: Perspectives on the New York City Health Bucks Program

Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Total Health Bucks issued	3,000	9,000	10,449	112,919	113,454	138,930
Percentage distributed as EBT incentive	0	0	0	51	65	71
Percentage distributed through community-based organizations	100	100	100	49	35	29
No. distributed as EBT incentive	0	0	0	57,589	73,745	98,640
No. distributed through community-based organizations	3,000	9,000	10,449	55,330	39,709	40,290

Figure 1. The number of Health Bucks coupons issued as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) electronic benefit transfer (EBT) incentives and through community-based organizations, New York City, 2005 through 2010.

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Percentage that agree: Because my stand or stall accepts Health Bucks . . .	Agree
I need more staff to help operate my stand or stall	21%
Customer traffic at my stands or stall moves slower	23%
I am able to participate in more farmers’ markets	36%
My stand or stall has a greater variety of items to sell	41%
My stand or stall at this market has expanded	42%
My customers are more likely to make cash purchases	48%
My customers buy more new or unfamiliar foods	57%
I have more repeat customers	70%
I sell more fresh fruits and vegetables	72%
New customers shop at my stand or stall more often	74%
I make more money at the market	75%

Figure 2. Weighted percentage of farmer/vendor survey respondents (n = 141) who agreed with statements that “Because my stand or stall accepts Health Bucks, . . . ”.

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