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NOFA seeks $500,000 in FY27 to sustain Crop Cash, Crop Cash Plus and FarmShare programs

Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry Committee · February 18, 2026

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Summary

NOFA Vermont requested $500,000 in FY27 funding for Crop Cash, Crop Cash Plus and FarmShare to expand SNAP incentives at farmers markets, broaden vendor eligibility, and subsidize CSA shares; the programs leverage federal funds and NOFA reported program impact and prior appropriations.

Joanna Doran, NOFA Vermont's local food access director, asked the committee to include $500,000 in the FY27 budget memo for three ongoing programs: Crop Cash (which doubles 3SquaresVermont/SNAP at farmers markets), Crop Cash Plus (which expands incentives to meats, eggs, dairy and bread) and FarmShare (a long‑running subsidized CSA program).

"I'm here to talk with you about our request for $500,000 in the FY27 budget for our food security programs, Crop Cash, Crop Cash Plus, and FarmShare," Doran said in testimony.

Doran described program mechanics and matching requirements: Crop Cash is federally funded but requires a local match; state investment leverages federal funds at a roughly 1:1 rate. She reported recent program impacts: FarmShare supported more than 530 households (about 1,400 individuals) this past year; Crop Cash is on track to facilitate more than 10,500 SNAP transactions across summer and winter markets in the 2025 season; over two years of state support, the programs leveraged about $1.6 million in local food purchases and are on track to direct about $850,000 to Vermont farms this season.

Representative Bridal asked whether a CSA operator must be SNAP-authorized to accept EBT for CSA shares; Doran explained farms may opt in to become SNAP-authorized and NOFA provides technical assistance for authorization. She also confirmed FarmShare uses an application process and that subsidy levels vary (typically 25–75% off a CSA share), and said prior FY allocations have been flexible depending on program demand.

Representative Bryant asked for a breakout of how NOFA would allocate a $500,000 appropriation; Doran said prior year allocations fluctuated (examples cited for earlier appropriations) and offered to provide exact numbers. Doran also confirmed the governor's budget did not include the $500,000 request; the committee requested historical appropriation and spending detail to inform priorities amid constrained overall funding.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the request; members discussed trade‑offs between direct food purchasing programs and investments in navigators or other services to preserve benefit eligibility.