Gray Street Farmers' Market Upgrades to Accept Debit/EBT

by Stephanie CrosbyDebit and food stamp cards can now be used at the Gray Street farmers’ market in downtown Louisville. Now in its second year, the Gray Street location is operated by the University of Louisville School of Public Health and the Louisville Metro Department of Health and Wellness.Health department director Adewale Troutman says offering patrons the chance to pay with a debit or food stamp card opens up possibilities for a lot of people.“To be able to swipe your card, if you are on food stamps, and being able to shop here at the farmers market is a real positive for everybody," says Troutman. "It’s a positive for the farmers market, it’s positive for the residents, who sometimes can’t find a grocery store close by to get fresh produce, so it’s a good addition to increasing access to fresh produce.”The technology to use the cards was purchased with an $1,100 grant from the Kentucky Farmers’ Market Association.With one wireless processing machine, customers can use their cards to purchase wooden tokens that can then be used at the farmers’ booths.