Is Your Market Low-Income Friendly?

Feb 17, 2015

MFFM is offering a new workshop about increasing low-income access at your farmers’ market. Thanks to a grant from the Sunshine Hill Family Fund, the cost to register is just $10, which includes all materials and lunch. We’ll be offering the workshop in Bangor March 2nd and again in Brunswick March 4th. Learn more about WIC, gleaning, and EBT programs at farmers’ markets.

If your market is wondering whether to take on EBT in 2015, this program will help you think through the pros and cons. Find out about wireless equipment options to process SNAP payments (as well as credit/debit) There will also be representatives from the USDA on site to help with applications for FNS numbers (the first step necessary to start accepting EBT). If your market has a new EBT program that you hope will grow, or if you’re interested in increasing WIC usage or in starting a gleaning program, there will be information for you as well. Email for more information or to register via email, or Register Online.

Get your farm or farmers’ market authorized for SNAP (formerly food stamps) and receive you FNS Number the very same day! USDA staff will be on site to walk you through the process and assist with your application. If you intend to get an FNS number at the workshop, please bring copies of the following documents (required for the application):

Picture ID (driver’s license or passport)
Social Security Card (or other official document with your name and SSN)
Copy of voided check for bank account you will use to deposit funds.

Source:umaine.edu

Video: Is China Buying US Soybeans + USDA Nov 14th Crop Report could be “Game Changing”

After a week of a U.S./China trade truce, markets/trade is skeptical that we have not seen a signed agreement nor heard much from China or seen any details. There are rumors that China is buying soybean futures & not the physical. Trust in Trump?
12 MMT of U.S. soybean purchases by China by year-end is better than 0 but we all need to give it more time and give it a chance to unfold. China did lower the tariffs on Ag and is buying U.S. wheat and sorghum.
U.S. supreme court could rule against Trumps tariffs, but the Trump administration does have a plan B.
U.S. government shutdown is now the longest in history at 38 days.
But despite a U.S. government shutdown we will be getting a USDA November crop report next Friday and it could be “game changing.” If the USDA provides a bullish surprise with lower U.S. corn and soybean yields and ending stocks that are lower than expected both corn and soybean futures will break out above their ceilings at $4.35/bu and $11.35/bu respectively.
The funds continued their selling in live and feeder cattle futures on continued fears that the Trump administration want to lower U.S. beef prices. The fundamentals have not changed, only market psychology has.
Stocks markets continue to worry about a weak U.S. job market, but you can blame ChatGPT for that. In the future, we will have a more efficient, productive and growing economy with a higher unemployment rate until we have more skilled AI workers.
After 34 new record highs in the S & P 500 and 124 new records in the NASDAQ in 2025 we are back to a correction and investor profit taking as AI valuations may have gotten too stretched near-term ahead of NVDA’s 3rd quarter earnings announcement on Nov. 19th. But this is not an AI bubble.
75% of Tesla shareholders approved a $1 trillion pay package for Elon Musk!
It has rained in South America in the last 7 days, but both the American and European models agree that Central Brazil remains dry in the next 14-days!

State of Iowa looking to trade with Cuba

Commerical UAVs Closer After U.S. FAA Rules Proposed.