August 2-8 is designated as National Farmers Market week, and State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt used the occasion Thursday to tout the success of New York State’s Double Up Food Bucks program. The program provides a dollar-for-dollar match to SNAP and EBT recipients when they purchase fresh produce at participating farmers markets and grocery stores.
More than 320 farmers markets and grocery stores across the state participate in Double Up, according to the Field & Fork Network, which administers the program. In 2025, almost 600,000 SNAP households utilized the program.
Ortt joined local leaders and other state senators at the North Tonawanda City Market to talk about the program. Ortt said $250,000 of Double Up program money is spent at this market alone.
“That is an incredible trajectory,” Ortt said. “It shows you the need that's out there, but it also shows you that $250,000 is going back into the pockets of local businesses, local farmers here in Western New York.”
Double Up started in Western New York in 2014, said Lisa French, the CEO of Field & Fork. This year, participating SNAP and EBT recipients can receive up to $50 a day in matching funds.
Funding for the Double Up program remained flat in the state budget this year, Ortt said, despite advocates pushing to increase that number from $2 million to $6 million.
“In a budget that went up, year over year by several billion, this [program] was not increased,” said Ortt. “I do think this is the kind of program where it would be nice to see that increase.”
State Senator George Borrello is a ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He spoke alongside Ortt on Thursday.
“You hear about nutrition. You hear about affordability. You hear about people that can't make ends meet, and the Double Up Food Bucks program makes sure that they can stretch their dollar more,” said Borrello.
French touted the impact the program has had on thousands of families across Western New York. She believes shopping at farmers markets imparts benefits that are not just about the local produce.
“What sets farmers markets apart is their capacity to bring people together,” French said. “It's one thing to know that someone, somewhere grew the food that goes on your table. It's another to know it was your neighbor.”