Farmland Preservation
Direct market outlets for our local farms are of paramount importance to ensure we have thriving farms now, and into the future. Farmers Markets are a critical link in the direct marketing landscape by providing farms with a vibrant marketplace to sell their product at minimum cost to themselves, while receiving maximum profit for their products. Thriving direct markets, like farmers markets, also help attract new and veteran farmers to rent or purchase land in the fertile Puyallup Watershed, thus helping to preserve and protect our land, our soils, and our food supply.
Small Business Incubation
All great businesses start with a great idea. Taking that idea and putting it into practice is another matter altogether. Understanding what is needed to start a small business or what permits are needed to sell food safely can be confusing at best, and at worst, can inhibit a great idea from getting off the ground. At TFM we help those dreams become a reality by providing hopeful business owners with the knowledge and expertise they need to navigate the permitting and licensing process, as well as marketing and social media training, and onsite support as their business grows. For more information see our Resources and Become a Vendor page. 2019 Training Schedule coming soon!
EBT/SNAP
The Tacoma Farmers Market is proud to accept and match EBT/SNAP benefits at all of our farmers market locations. Simply take your EBT/SNAP card to the market information booth. Our market staff will swipe your card and provide you with wooden tokens to use just like cash. Signage around the market tells you where you can redeem your tokens. See below for more information on our SNAP Market Match EBT Matching program.
Individuals can use EBT/SNAP tokens to buy:
- Breads, cereals, and bakery items
- Salsa, kombucha, pickles, honey
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meats, fish, and poultry
- Dairy products
- Seeds and plants that produce food for the household to eat
Note: Hot food vendors, crafters, and flower vendors at the farmers market are not allowed to take EBT/SNAP tokens.
SNAP Market Match
The SNAP Market Match EBT Matching Program offers an unlimited 1:1 match, per week, per market for eligible EBT/SNAP shoppers. If you are an eligible EBT/SNAP shopper, visit our market information booth, swipe your card, tell us how much you’d like in market tokens, and we’ll match those tokens one for one to use on fresh fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and plant starts. Go, Swipe, Double, Shop—it’s that easy.
Individuals can use SNAP Market Match to buy:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Mushrooms
- Herbs
- Plants starts that produce food for the household to eat
WIC & Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks let you purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. Look for this sign to find the farms at our markets who can accept your checks. Our farmers are happy to help you find the produce you need in the amount of your checks (no change is given). Don’t hesitate to ask for our help. Our farmers are friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to lend a hand. Check your eligibility for WIC, or check your eligibility for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
Apple-a-Day
Through our Apple-a-Day program, each child 3-16 years old receives a $1 Apple-a-Day market token to buy a fruit or veggie of their choice. Parents, grandparents, or guardians can accompany the child to our market information booth to receive their token. We’re proud that the Apple-a-Day programs contributes to creating lifelong, healthy eaters. This program is generously funded by our partners at TAPCO Credit Union.