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Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus

CO SNAP Produce Bonus

Seal that reads: If you are a Colorado EBT card user, you can enjoy the benefits

If you receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and live in Colorado, you are already eligible to receive the Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus on eligible fruits and vegetables at participating locations.

No sign-up required! Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus makes it easy to eat healthier and save!

How to get the bonus

Step 1

Buy eligible fruits and vegetables at a participating retailer.

Step 2

Get a dollar-for-dollar match automatically added onto your EBT card to use at any SNAP location. Get up to $60 reimbursed per month.

Step 3

Spend your bonus on any SNAP eligible items at any SNAP authorized retailer.

Find a market near you

Use the list below to find participating locations. 

Participating locations

The location and hours information is the most recent information provided by the participating locations. We do our best to keep the map and list of locations updated, but it is subject to change at the discretion of the retailer.

Note: This list is subject to change without notice.

Arvada

Bayfield

Beulah

  • Quarter Acre and A Mule (at Beulah Farmers Market)
    • 8868 Grand Ave. 2nd and 4th Saturdays: 10 am to 12 pm (May 30 to September 12)

Boulder

Colorado Springs

Cortez

Cotopaxi

Denver

Dolores

Durango

  • Durango Farmers Market
    • 259 W 9th St. (2nd Saturdays on Main Street) Saturdays: 8 am to 12 pm (May 9 to October 31).
    • Fresh Start Microgreens
    • Homegrown Farm
    • Humble Fungi
    • Long Table Farm
    • Mocking Crow Farm

Elizabeth

Estes Park

Fort Collins

  • Belafonte Farm (Farm Stand)

    • 1807 W. Vine Dr. Call 720-937-5764 to arrange shopping time.

  • Fort Collins Farmers Market

    • 1001 E. Harmony Road. Sundays: 10 am to 2 pm (May to November); Wednesdays: 10 am to 2 pm (June to September).

    • C&R Farms 

    • Eden Valley Farm

    • Willow Creek Mushrooms

  • Hazel Dell Mushrooms (Farm Stand)

    • 3925 E. County Road 32. Monday through Friday: 9 am to 5 pm (Year-round).

  • Larimer County Farmers Market

    • 200 W. Oak St. Saturdays: 9 am to 1 pm (May 16 to October 31).

    • Belafonte Farm

    • C&R Farm

    • Ela Family Farm

    • Ent Wise Farm

    • Fat Donkey Farm

    • Folks Farm and Seed

    • Little Sun Farm

    • Native Hill Farm

    • Old Town Urban Farms

    • Pope Farm

    • Rancho Durazno

    • Urban Farmer

    • Well Fed Farmstead 

    • Willow Creek Mushrooms

Fort Morgan

  • Carniceria La Sabrosita (Store)
    • 131 Sherman St. Daily: 8 am to 8 pm

Greeley

Hotchkiss

Lafayette

Leadville

Longmont

Loveland

Lyons

  • Simple Things Farm (Lyons Farmers Market)

    • 350 4th Ave.; Sundays 9 am to 1 pm (May 10-October 4)

Mancos

Monte Vista

Mosca

Palisade

Peyton

Pueblo

Salida

Wellington

Westcliffe

Woodland Park

Information for SNAP recipients

SNAP recipients can find answers to most questions in the FAQ section below. If you have other questions, contact the SNAP Produce Bonus team at the address listed at the bottom of this page.

FAQs for SNAP recipients

What is the Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus?

In 2023, Colorado was one of three states to receive grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to start an electronic healthy incentive program (sometimes referred to as eHIP). Colorado's program is called Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus. Through this program, SNAP shoppers will receive a 100% reimbursement for any qualifying purchase of fruits and vegetables directly back to their EBT card at the time of purchase. They may receive a maximum of $60 per month. This bonus amount may be used to purchase any SNAP eligible items, and will automatically be applied to future purchases.

Who is eligible and how do I sign up?

There is no sign-up for the Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus program. If you live in Colorado and have received SNAP benefits in the last 90 days, your household will automatically receive a bonus when you buy eligible fruits and vegetables from participating locations.

How often can I get this Bonus?

There is no daily or weekly limit on the Bonus but you may only be reimbursed for up to $60 per month. The $60 limit starts over on the 1st day of each month.

If you do not receive the full $60 for one month, you cannot receive more than the $60 monthly maximum Bonus the following month.

How can I learn how much Produce Bonus incentive I have received this month?

You can learn how much Produce Bonus incentive you have received this month in a few different ways:

  • The online cardholder portal and the ebtEDGE app will show you how much CO SNAP Produce Bonus incentive you have received month to date. (Note: that the CDHS app and any third party apps used to look at EBT balances will not show information about the incentives, however the SNAP overall balance will include any incentive that has been received)
How to use EBT Edge

  • You can look at your receipt after you make a purchase where you receive the Bonus to see how much Bonus you received during that transaction, how much Bonus you have received month to date (MTD), and to see what your overall SNAP balance is (this will include the Bonus amount that you just received).

    Receipt with Benefit information

  • If you call the number on the back of your EBT card and request a balance inquiry, the recording will tell you how much CO SNAP Produce Bonus incentive you have received month to date.
  • Retailers may also be able to run a balance inquiry for you, however some retailers may not be able to do this for you.

Note: It is important to remember that the amount of CO SNAP Produce Bonus you have received is added into your overall SNAP balance. The Month to date information is helpful for you to know how much more bonus you can receive this month, but it is not a separate amount on top of your SNAP balance that you can use.

What does the information on my receipt mean?

After you buy eligible items from a participating retailer your receipt will show you information about the Produce Bonus you have received. See the image below for more information about what each line means.

Receipt with Benefit information

 

Is there a market near me where I can receive the bonus?

Be sure to check our map and list above to find a participating location near you. Markets are being added all the time all over Colorado.

How can I spend my bonus?

You may spend your bonus at any SNAP retailer on SNAP eligible items. This bonus amount may be used to purchase any SNAP eligible items, and will automatically be applied to future purchases.

What fruits and vegetables are eligible?

Eligible foods include fresh fruits and vegetables; frozen fruits and vegetables without added salt, sugar or fat; and dried beans. At farmers markets, you can additionally receive a bonus for buying dried fruits and vegetables without added salt, sugar or fat, and food producing plant starts and seeds..

Why didn't I receive the Produce Bonus?

There are a few relatively common reasons why you may not receive the Bonus:

  • If you didn't purchase eligible foods from a participating retailer you will not receive the Bonus. Please see the drop down above about what foods are eligible and review the map and list above to see what locations are participating near you.
  • If you have already received $60 of Bonus for the calendar month, you will not receive more Bonus.
  • If you have not received SNAP benefits in the last 90 days you are not eligible to receive the Bonus. If you begin receiving SNAP benefits again, you will automatically be able to start receiving the Bonus again.

If you think there has been an error, and you should have received the Bonus but you did not, please fill out the CO SNAP Produce Bonus Customer Feedback & Support Requests form.

How is this different from Double Up Food Bucks?

With Double Up Food Bucks, when you buy SNAP eligible foods at participating locations, you receive up to $20 per day in vouchers to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. For more information and to see a list of participating locations, visit the Double Up Food Bucks Colorado website.

The Produce Bonus program reimburses SNAP shoppers for up to $60 per month when they buy eligible fruits and vegetables from participating retailers. The bonus, or reimbursement, they receive can then be spent on any SNAP eligible item at any SNAP retailer.

See the table below for a comparison of the two programs.

 CO SNAP Produce BonusDouble Up Food Bucks
How does the program work?You must buy eligible fruits and vegetables to receive the matching reimbursement, which can be spent on any SNAP eligible item.When you purchase SNAP eligible items from participating retailers, you will receive a matching amount to spend on eligible fruits and vegetables.
How much can SNAP shoppers receive from the program?SNAP shoppers can receive up to $60 per month through the Produce Bonus program.SNAP shoppers can receive up to $20 per day through the Double Up Food Bucks program.
What foods are eligible?

At all locations eligible foods include:

  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
    Frozen fruits and vegetables without added sugar, salt, or fat
  • Dried beans

At Farmers Markets:

  • Dried fruits and vegetables without added sugar, salt, or fat are also eligible
  • Food producing plant starts and seeds
Fresh, Colorado grown fruits and vegetables are eligible
Where can I shop to receive the incentive?Please see the list and map above for participating locationsParticipating locations include grocery stores, small food retailers, and farmers markets. You can find all locations here: https://doubleupcolorado.org/where-its-at/
Can I receive both Double Up Food Bucks and SNAP Produce Bonus?

Yes, shoppers in Colorado can use both programs. When shopping at a Double Up location, shoppers can receive up to $20 in vouchers per day. The vouchers they receive are in addition to the $60 per month they can receive when shopping at SNAP Produce Bonus locations. Double Up vouchers do not count toward the $60 per month maximum of SNAP Produce Bonus.

To find a list of participating Double Up Food Bucks locations, visit the Double Up Food Bucks Colorado website.

Information for retailers 

Retailers who are interested in participation in Produce Bonus will need to have the following:

  • SNAP authorization with an active FNS#
  • Point of Sale equipment/system that is able to accept SNAP and issue Produce Bonus

Retailers must be authorized by the state to participate in CO SNAP.

Simply being SNAP authorized and having POS equipment will not allow you to issue Produce Bonus incentives. 

See the FAQ section below for more information. 

If you are interested in becoming a CO SNAP Produce Bonus retailer or farm vendor, please complete the SNAP Incentives Interest Form. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to cdhs_snap_producebonus@state.co.us.

FAQs for retailers

What kinds of retailers are able to participate in CO SNAP Produce Bonus? 

Any retailer that sells fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables without added sugar, salt, or fat and/or dried beans is able to participate in the Produce Bonus program. 

We are looking for independently-owned food retailers who are currently SNAP-authorized and serve low-income, low-food-access communities in Colorado. 

Retailers that stock Colorado-grown produce will be given priority.

If my store is not currently SNAP authorized how can I apply? 

You can find more information about how to apply and complete an application to become a SNAP authorized retailer on this USDA FNS website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailer/apply-to-accept

If my store is already SNAP authorized and has an active FNS#, what do I need to do to participate in the Produce Bonus program?

You will first need to fill out the SNAP Incentives Interest Form and the Produce Bonus team will be in touch with you about next steps.

If you use a POS system that is compatible with Produce Bonus and are approved to participate in the program, you will need to:

  • Sign an agreement with the state to participate in the program
  • Work with the Produce Bonus team to mark all eligible items in your inventory
  • Complete a test to ensure the POS system is operating correctly
  • Work with the Produce Bonus team to train all appropriate staff
  • Work with the Produce Bonus team to develop and utilize in-store promotional items
What POS systems, Payments Platforms, and Third Party Processors are compatible with this program?

Participating retailers must have a point-of-sale (POS) system, payment platform, and third party processor that is compatible with electronic incentives.

Currently compatible POS systems include:

  • NCR ENCOR
  • RORC DUMAC
  • Toshiba
  • EncomPOS Retail (tablet based)
  • TotilPay Go (app for smartphone or tablet)

Currently compatible Payments Platforms include:

  • NCR ConnectedPayments
  • Datacap NET ePAY

Currently compatible Third Party Processors include:

  • WorldPay
  • Fiserv
If I have a chain of stores, can more than one participate in the CO SNAP Produce Bonus program? 

We are happy to work with chains or owners who operate more than one store. If you operate a chain with a large number of stores, we may discuss starting the program in a small number of locations to start with, but it is possible that it could expand to other stores within the chain at a later date

Information for farm vendors

Farm vendors who are interested in participating in Produce Bonus (including those participating in a pilot farmers market location) will need to have the following:

  • SNAP authorization with an active FNS#
  • Point of Sale equipment that is able accept SNAP and issue Produce Bonus incentives

Farm vendors must be authorized by the state to participate in CO SNAP Produce Bonus. Simply becoming SNAP authorized and having POS equipment will not allow you to issue Produce Bonus incentives.

Farm vendors who are not part of a pilot farmers market location can still participate in the Produce Bonus program at independent farm stands and other non-pilot farmers market locations. If farm vendors wish to participate in Produce Bonus at non-pilot farmers market locations they need to make their market managers aware of their interest and make sure the market manager is OK with them offering Produce Bonus at that farmers market. 

Customers wishing to receive their Produce Bonus incentives will shop directly with participating fruit and vegetable vendors by swiping their SNAP EBT card at the participating farm vendor’s table/booth or farm stand.

Direct-marketing farmers can get free equipment to accept SNAP EBT transactions and issue Produce Bonus incentives through the Colorado Department of Human Services or a grant from MarketLink. See the FAQ section below for more details.

If you are interested in becoming a CO SNAP Produce Bonus retailer or farm vendor, please complete the SNAP Incentives Interest Form. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to cdhs_snap_producebonus@state.co.us.

FAQs for farm vendors

What kinds of farm vendors are eligible to participate in Produce Bonus?

Farm vendors who sell fresh, frozen and/or dried fruits and vegetables without added sugar, salt, or fat and/or dried beans are eligible to participate in the Produce Bonus program. 

If I am not currently SNAP authorized, how do I apply?

You can find more information about how to apply and complete an application to become a SNAP authorized retailer on the USDA FNS website. 

If you would like assistance with completing your application to become SNAP authorized (highly recommended), MarketLink can help with this. Visit the MarketLink website to get more information and connect with someone who can help you with your application.

If I am already SNAP authorized and have an active FNS#, what do I need to do to participate in the Produce Bonus program?

If you are already SNAP authorized and have an active FNS# you will need to:

  • Sign an agreement with the state to participate in the program
  • Obtain POS equipment that is compatible with the Produce Bonus program, or ensure that the POS you are using is compatible
  • Work with the Produce Bonus team to complete training
  • Complete a test to ensure the POS system is operating correctly
  • Work with the Produce Bonus team to utilize promotional items

In order to start this process please complete the SNAP Incentives Interest Form and the Produce Bonus team will be in touch

Is there an application period or any deadlines I should know about?

You must have the completed the following steps prior to March 15th in order to participate in the program during the upcoming growing/market season:

  • SNAP authorization (you must have been approved and have an active FNS#)
  • Submitted the SNAP Incentives Interest Form
  • Completed the Vendor Agreement
  • Chosen the POS equipment you’ll use to accept SNAP and issue the Produce Bonus
How can I find out more about getting free POS equipment?

The Farm vendor equipment options flyer provides information about the two free POS options available to direct marketing farmers in Colorado. If you have questions about these options or would like to discuss them further you can email us at cdhs_snap_producebonus@state.co.us. 

If you’d like to get the free equipment option from the state of Colorado you can send an email to emma.kett@state.co.us.

If you’d like to get the free equipment option from MarketLink you can find more information and apply for that through the MarketLink website.

Can I process SNAP EBT and offer Colorado SNAP Produce Bonus at different locations?

Participating farm vendors can use their SNAP EBT equipment to accept SNAP at multiple locations including your own farm stand or other markets. We just ask that if you are planning to use your SNAP EBT equipment to accept SNAP directly at other markets, you get approval from that market manager first.

If your business is not classified as a “direct marketing farmer” by FNS, you can still accept SNAP and participate in Produce Bonus at multiple locations, but you will have to apply separately and become SNAP authorized (you will have multiple FNS #s) for every location you wish to accept SNAP at.

What if I sell at multiple locations at the same time?

If a participating farm vendor sells at multiple locations at the same time, would like to accept SNAP EBT as a form of payment, and issue Produce Bonus incentives, you will need more than one EBT POS terminal (one for each simultaneous location). 

The Colorado Department of Human Services and MarketLink programs for free equipment can only provide one free EBT POS terminal per FNS#. If you need more than one POS terminal, you will be responsible for the cost of the additional terminals. The cost of additional terminals for the different POS options is listed at the bottom of the Farm Vendor Equipment Options Flyer.

Resources for retailers and farm vendors

More information

Contact information

If SNAP clients have questions about the Produce Bonus program, they can email cdhs_snap_clientproducebonus@state.co.us.

If SNAP clients think there has been an error with their Produce Bonus (you should have received the Bonus but you didn’t, or you received an incorrect amount of Bonus), please fill out the CO SNAP Produce Bonus Customer Feedback & Support Requests form.

If retailers or farm vendors have questions about the Produce Bonus program they can email cdhs_snap_producebonus@state.co.us.

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  1. Mail:
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This material is based upon work that is supported by the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.