In Michigan, the Fair Food Network (FFN) - a national nonprofit dedicated to building a more just and sustainable food system - launched the Double Up Food Bucks Project (DUFB) to encourage low-income consumers to use their federal food assistance benefits (SNAP) to purchase fresh produce at farmers' markets in Detroit and across the State of Michigan, as well as at participating gas stations, convenience stores, and other participating outlets in Detroit.
When SNAP recipients shop at participating farmers' markets, the amount of money that they spend using their SNAP Bridge Card is matched up to $20 per visit with Double Up Food Bucks bonus tokens.The customers can then use these tokens to purchase Michigan-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Since the start of the program, the amount of Bridge Card benefits and DUFB tokens distributed at the five participating Detroit farmers' markets totals more than $115,000. As a strong sign of increased desire for fresh food, the Wayne State University Farmers' Market has broken its record for Bridge Card sales in a single market day three times since Double Up Food Bucks started. The market has distributed a total of $3,570 in DUFB tokens. Michigan farmers are also seeing a growth in sales as the demand for their products increases.