Designing and ordering your EBT Scrip is the next step. If you wish, you may do this before you receive FNS authorization. The scrip design does not have to be approved by state or federal entities, however there are some design requirements for all farmers’ market EBT scrip. See EBT Scrip Design Requirements below.
The market operator is responsible for scrip design and cost. The Ecology Center Farmers’ Market EBT Program may be able to assist by designing, ordering and/or purchasing EBT scrip for California Certified Farmers’ Markets. If you require assistance with this, please contact us!
materials & quantity
- Paper is physically easier to handle than tokens, but potentially more easily counterfeited. If you use paper scrip, “Kant Kopy” paper or similar non-photocopyable paper is recommended.
- Tokens can be cumbersome in large quantities, but are long-lasting and are less prone to counterfeit.
- While “wooden nickels” are very popular, plastic tokens are thinner and more durable, but more expensive than wood.
- Markets that expect a high EBT volume may choose metal tokens and a coin counter to reduce staff time counting the EBT scrip.
- 1000 tokens is suitable for most mid-size markets. Smaller markets (<10 vendors) may only need 500 tokens. For wooden nickels, 500 tokens cost approximately $120 and 1000 tokens cost approximately $170. Large markets may want to consider greater quantities.
- Printing or stamping serial numbers on all scrip is optional, and increases the cost.
design and handling rules
Design:
- Market or association name or logo
- Must say “NO CHANGE GIVEN”
- Must say “EBT” or “SNAP”
- Token denominations must be in whole dollar amounts (i.e. $1, $5, $10, etc.)
Handling:
- EBT tokens/vouchers never expire. If a customer uses an old EBT token/voucher from your market, you must honor it (Because the funds went from their EBT account into the market’s bank account when they purchased the EBT token/voucher).
- If a vendor that does not sell EBT eligible items takes a payment in EBT tokens/vouchers, the market should not reimburse the vendor for those tokens/vouchers. The vendor will have to eat that cost. It’s important to educate your vendors on what EBT scrip can be used to purchase (See Step #7: Vendor Education).
- If your market needs more funding to support the EBT program, you may consider increasing stall fees or taking a percentage of vendors’ TOTAL sales, not just EBT sales. This way, EBT sales aren’t discriminated against.
- If a customer would like to return EBT tokens/vouchers, you must honor that and return the funds to their EBT card.
contacts
800-750-9915
www.wooden-nickel.com
Plasco Token Factory
888-486-5367
www.tokenfactory.com
Ordertokens.com
888-486-3749
www.ordertokens.com
Ecology Center Farmers’ Market EBT Program
510-925-4001
ebt@ecologycenter.org
