Community
BY AMANDA CUTSHALL & MICHAEL MILLION
Farmers markets across the Bastrop County area bring together local vendors, fresh food and community members in one place. For nearly 11,000 eligible Bastrop County residents, farmers markets can also serve as an accessible place to shop with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benets, according to the Texas Health and Human Services. Those interested in using SNAP benets can present their SNAP card to o cials at participating farmers markets. O cials will then distribute market currency to use on eligible items, according to Texas Farmers Markets. A guide to SNAP at farmers markets
SNAP eligible and non-eligible items Eligible items • Fruits, vegetables, garden seeds • Meat, ish, poultry • Bread, cereal • Plants that produce food • Milk, milk substitutes, dairy products Non-eligible items
• Tobacco • Alcohol • Non-food items • Vitamins • Medicines Items no longer eligible after April 1 • Candy bars, gum and taffy • Nuts, raisins or fruits that have been candied, crystallized, glazed or coated with chocolate, yogurt or caramel • Sweetened drinks
Patrons at the Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market can pick up their SNAP shopping card at the Sunset Hill Farms booth.
SOURCE: BASTROP 1832 FARMERS MARKET, TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESCOMMUNITY IMPACT
COURTESY BASTROP 1832 FARMERS MARKET
The impact
Breaking it down
In January, 4,757 Bastrop County households used SNAP, accounting for 10,607 eligible indi- viduals, according to the latest data from Texas Health and Human Services. The program is the second-most responsive federal program oering assistance to citizens during and after downturns in the economy, only after unemployment insurance, according to the CBPP.
SNAP is essential to providing nutritional support to working families with low-paying jobs, low-income adults 60 years and older and those with disabilities living on xed incomes, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, or CBPP. Texas had 1.6 million households utilize the SNAP program in September 2025, according to the most recent data from the Texas Health and Human Services. There were 3.5 million individ- uals who were eligible to receive benets in the same month.
SNAP eligibility limits Families are considered for SNAP based on household size and monthly income.
Family size $2,152
5 6 7 8
1
$5,177 $5,934 $6,690 $7,446
3 4 2
$2,909 $3,665 $4,421
Check out page 14 to see which local markets accept SNAP
SOURCE: TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESCOMMUNITY IMPACT
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BASTROP CEDAR CREEK EDITION
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