Double Up Food Bucks – Sustainable Food Center

Farmers’ Market Food Safety & Quality

Anna-Kay Reeves — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 23:35:56 +0000

Whether shrink-wrapped, freeze-dried, or in a sealed bag inside a sealed box, typical groceries are extensively packaged and preserved. For many grocery store shoppers, packaging and preservatives are seen as indications of food quality and safety, which might make the stacks of carrots out in the open and baked goods in paper bags at farmers’ markets seem risky by comparison. But in reality, small-scale farmers, ranchers, and food vendors follow a variety of quality-assurance and food safety guidelines. Here’s a look at what really happens behind the booth.

Producer-only markets

For the freshest farmers’ market foods, look for markets that describe themselves as “producer-only”. This description means that vendors have to grow or make what they sell themselves and can’t resell products made by someone else. While “producer-only” is a voluntary standard, markets who opt for this model usually have an inspection or farm visit system to ensure vendors are producing the goods they bring themselves.

SFC Farmers’ Markets

At Sustainable Food Center (SFC), our knowledge about market food safety comes from experience at our own markets. We operate two producer-only markets in Austin, SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown and SFC Farmers Market at Sunset Valley. SFC’s Farm Viability team makes in-person visits to farms selling fresh fruit and veggies, eggs, dairy, and meat.

Farm visits help us ensure transparency in the supply chain and also give us a chance to connect with farmers more directly about their operations. There is so much variation in the Texas landscape and how it interacts with food production – from sandy soils needing a lot of amendments, to pastures that were previously overgrazed and are consequently dominated by thorny weeds. Awareness of the challenges small-scale farmers face informs SFC’s priorities in farmer advocacy and resources like SFC’s Farmer Newsletter.

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Cottage Foods

Market goods that are lower risk for spoilage like jams, cookies, and bread made by small-businesses (earning less than $50,000 annually in revenue) are regulated under Cottage Food Law. Although this category exempts vendors from some permit requirements, cottage food vendors still have to register with the state, complete a basic food safety course, and comply with product labeling requirements.

Labels are the main quality assurance mechanism for small-batch cottage foods. Labels must show the date the product was made, any ingredients associated with common allergies, and a disclaimer that the food isn’t subject to inspection. See full list of labeling requirements. Although cottage food operations aren’t inspected by the health department, they can be shut down by city or state health officials if it’s determined that products are putting community health at risk.

Eggs And Meat

Although eggs are higher risk for spoilage than cottage foods like jams, small-scale egg vendors don’t need inspections or permits to sell ungraded eggs. In eggs, “ungraded” means they haven’t been inspected or sorted into groups based on appearance. Egg grades are determined by factors like the appearance of the shell, egg yolk, and egg white.

In Texas, all meat sold to the public must go through a state-approved processing center. No one is allowed to sell meat from an animal slaughtered at their home or farm. Other required permits for selling meat in Texas include a food handler’s license and a health permit from city, county, or state health departments.

Fresh, Local Foods

When it comes to locally grown fruits and veggies, most of the time permits aren’t needed to sell whole, fresh produce. That means you’re the inspector, and freshness that you can see, feel, and taste is the measure of quality. For questions about produce cultivation including pesticide use, farm sustainability, and location, you can ask the farmer who grew it at the time of purchase.

Although there isn’t the same kind of paper trail on market produce as the “Grown in California” stickers on fruit at the grocery store, the ability to ask the grower directly about farming practices provides greater supply chain transparency for market produce than many larger-scale stores can offer.

local food for every budget

As of September 2026, the price of food in the US has risen over 30% since 2020. Putting food on the table, let alone high-quality food, is a bigger challenge for Texas families than ever. SFC’s program Double Up Food Bucks Texas (Double Up Texas) supports fair access to high quality food by doubling SNAP benefits to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables at over 100 Texas farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Plus, Double Up Texas boosts sales for Texas farmers and strengthens the local economy. That’s a WIN WIN WIN!

100 Double Up Sites Over Texas

Anna-Kay Reeves — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 20:03:43 +0000

Double SNAP Across Miles and Miles of Texas

From the windy High Plains to the warmth of the Rio Grande Valley and across the wide expanse between East and West Texas, Double Up Food Bucks Texas is transforming how families access healthy food and how local farmers grow their business. “Statewide” means something BIG in Texas, and Sustainable Food Center (SFC) is proud to say that with over 100 participating farmers’ markets and grocery stores covering every region of the Lonestar State, our program Double Up Texas, is now truly statewide.

Central Texas

There’s a lot to love about Texas, but something we’re working to change is that our state has the highest rate of food insecurity in the US. Double Up Texas is a foundational part of how SFC is transforming Texas food. By doubling Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for shoppers to spend on MORE fresh fruits and vegetables, Double Up Texas increases access to nutritious food and boosts sales for Texas farmers at.

As the Texas administrator for the nationwide Double Up Food Bucks program, SFC partners with grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and other nonprofits to offer the program across the state. Our Double Up Texas regional partners are experts in their communities and play an essential role in expanding access to healthy, local food to every Texan.

In 2025, more than 250,000 Texans increased their purchasing power with Double Up Texas, boosting income for over 210 farmers and circulating over two million dollars in Texas food economies.

Reaching the milestone of 100+ sites statewide is all the more meaningful when we reflect on the program’s start in 2012. When SFC launched Double Dollars, later rebranded Double Up Food Bucks Texas, the program started at a single SFC Farmers’ Market in Austin, serving about 25 shoppers a week. These days, hundreds of SNAP shoppers in Central Texas from Austin to Waco double their benefits for fresh produce every week at 20 farmers’ markets and 15 grocery stores.

During SFC’s first five years of offering Double Up Texas in the Austin area, organizations in other regions began offering their own versions of the Double Up Food Bucks program independently from SFC. Recognizing the power of collaboration to create greater impact and program consistency, SFC set its sights on bringing all Double Up Food Bucks locations in the Lone Star State under the Double Up Texas umbrella.

West texas

SFC’s first step toward building the statewide Double Up Texas network was finding the right partner to pilot a regional program with us. That’s how SFC first connected with Sarah Castro, a Lubbock-based food advocate.

“When SFC reached out to partner with us, my only hope was to keep the Double Up Food Bucks program alive in the South Plains,” Sarah said. “I could never have imagined everything that would grow out of that connection.” SFC hired Sarah as West Texas Programs Manager and created our very first regional team.

Slowly but surely, momentum began to build. From a little over $2,000 in Double Up Texas nutrition incentives redeemed in 2018, the program’s economic impact skyrocketed to over $475,000 worth of redemptions with West Texas farmers and grocery stores in 2024. Now, there are 18 Double Up Texas sites in West Texas from Odessa to Amarillo to Wichita Falls.

North Texas

Up the road in North Texas, SFC partners with Texas Health Resources through their initiative Texas Health Community Hope to offer Double Up Texas throughout Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW). Increasing consistent access to nutritious food is critical in DFW, which is ranked as the third most food insecure metroplex in the U.S.

Through this impactful partnership, Double Up Texas is now offered at 10 farmers’ markets and 19 grocery stores in the DFW Metroplex alone. Double Up Texas grocery sites in the greater North Texas region include Foodland Grocery, Tom Thumb, and El Rancho Supermercado locations, supporting consistent access to quality nutrition for SNAP shoppers who may work during farmers’ market hours.

East Texas

East Texas is an area of recent expansion for Double Up Texas, and we’re excited to partner with NET Health as the program’s regional lead. Public Health sector partnerships are important for SFC as we build greater recognition that consistent access to fresh, local produce is preventative healthcare.

NET Health connects East Texas residents with affordable health and wellness resources like cancer screenings and free exercise classes. With the expansion of NET Health’s resources to include Double Up Texas, we’re driving home the message that food is medicine and nutrition is and essential tool for preventing and managing chronic illness.

Double Up Texas is now offered at three East Texas farmers’ market locations from Tyler to Beaumont.

Texas Gulf

Just last year, Double Up Texas started matching SNAP benefits in Texas’ most populous city, Houston. We launched Double Up Texas in the heart of Houston’s Hispanic/Latine community at nine Teloloapan Meat Market and two El Ranch Supermercado locations in spring 2025. SFC’s Community Engagement team traveled to Houston to offer bilingual information about Double Up Texas at the program’s community launch party.

“It [was] a great way to learn about the program, enjoy some fun activities, and see how every dollar can go further toward fresh, healthy food,” said Estefania Ayala, Vice President of Teloloapan Meat Market / Telomarket.

The Teloloapan team’s capacity for communication in bilingual and Spanish-speaking communities is pushing the Double Up Texas program to strengthen its bilingual resources to better serve every Texan.

South Texas

Two hours South of Austin, San Antonio marks the start of South Texas, a leader in agriculture and hub for Texas culture. In 2024, SFC partnered with the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD), now the region’s Double Up Texas lead. Through connecting Double Up Texas with San Antonio’s city health and nutrition initiatives like the Healthy Corner Store Initiative, we’re building a model for community transformation through municipal and nonprofit partnerships.

Rio Grande Valley

Still farther South, Texas farmers stay busy in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region’s subtropical climate and long growing season. In fact, the RGV is the largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the state! While the majority of produce grown in the region is sold in other states or exported internationally, Double Up Texas is an important economic and social tool to make the bountiful produce of the RGV affordable for the people who call the area home. SFC’s longstanding partnership with Brownsville Wellness Coalition, Double Up Texas regional lead in the RGV, sets the scene for thriving health for people and the environment in the years to come.

Far West Texas

Way out west, we partner with Desert Spoon Food Hub to offer Double Up Texas at grocery locations in El Paso and Socorro. Many Far West Texas communities have limited options for fresh, local food. Double Up Texas’ presence in both El Paso and Socorro demonstrates how the program works in both rural and urban settings, building bridges between farmers, retailers, and families. SFC is excited to see how our strong partnerships in Big Bend country will support greater access to local food through Double Up Texas in the years to come.

Better Together

Food systems, like ecosystems, thrive in connection. Double Up Texas is the fruit of collaboration with over 100 partner sites, supported by state, federal, and donor funding, and we’re still growing. As inflation persists and small-scale farmers work to turn a profit, Double Up Food Bucks Texas is a WIN WIN WIN, increasing food security for families with SNAP, boosting farm sales, and circulating money in local economies.

Who’s with us? If you’re interested in offering Double Up Texas in your market or store, we want to hear from you! Interested retailers can complete a partner interest form. Together, we can transform the Texas food system to nourish community health, Texas land, and farmer livelihood.

Texas Doubles Down on Healthy, Local Food: Texas Legislature Makes Second Investment in Nutrition Incentives

Anna-Kay Reeves — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 17:09:38 +0000

$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.