Texas Doubles Down on Healthy, Local Food: Texas Legislature Makes Second Investment in Nutrition Incentives
$6 Million Investment from 89th Texas Legislature Supports Texas Families and Farmers
AUSTIN, TEXAS – A second landmark investment in nutrition incentives from the State of Texas paves the way for continued growth of nutrition programs like SFC’s Double Up Food Bucks Texas (Double Up Texas). Double Up Texas doubles SNAP benefits to spend on local fruit and vegetables at over 100 participating locations across Texas.
We’re thrilled to share a major win for healthy food access in Texas: the state has made a second, historic investment in nutrition incentive programs like Double Up Texas. Thanks to support from state lawmakers during the 89th Legislative Session, the Texas Legislature approved $6 million in general revenue funding to expand nutrition incentive programs across the state in the 2026 – 2027 biennium.
This victory, secured through the advocacy of Sustainable Food Center (SFC) and our partners, marks a powerful step forward in building a more resilient food system for all Texans.
Double Up Texas, the state’s flagship nutrition incentive program, matches Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers’ markets, farm stands, and mobile markets. This means that families shopping with SNAP can double their purchasing power when buying produce – putting more healthy food on the table while supporting local farmers and food businesses. SFC administers Double Up Texas with support from state, federal, and philanthropic funding.
Between October 2023 and September 2024 (federal fiscal year 2024), 3,193,000 people in Texas – 1 in 10 – Texans received SNAP.
Double Up Texas was launched in Austin at SFC Farmers’ Market in 2012. Through regional partnerships and expansion into grocery stores, the program now has 105 participating locations in every region of the state. Currently, 46 farmers markets and 59 grocery stores participate in Double Up Texas. These sites support over 220 Texas farmers and bring millions of dollars in economic activity back into our local communities.
Double Up Food Bucks Texas is projected to generate $2 million in economic activity through sales at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and grocery stores in 2025.
SFC Farmers’ Market vendor and co-owner of Animal Farm, Cas Vanwoerden, has participated in Double Up Texas since the program was launched. “[With Double Up Texas], we see both increased attendance and an increase in sales,” Van Worden said. And now, with renewed state investment, Double Up Texas is poised for meaningful growth in both urban and rural areas of the state.
This legislative win didn’t happen by accident. It reflects years of dedicated advocacy, coalition-building, and hard work by SFC, our partners in the Double Up Texas Coalition, and community advocates across the state. It also reflects the power of public investment in food systems that work for families, for farmers, and for Texas.
We’re incredibly grateful to the state legislators who championed this funding and to all who helped make this success possible. This investment from the Texas Legislature is a huge step toward aligning Texas food systems with local, community-driven solutions. If you supported SFC previously as a donor or market shopper, you helped position SFC for this advocacy win. Your ongoing support ensures we can continue building SFC’s internal capacity to lead Texas in transforming the food system.
Together, we’re growing a healthier Texas. Change doesn’t happen overnight—we’re cultivating a better food future with one local food sale, one new Double Up Texas location, and one policy win at a time.