WV Food and Farm Coalition receives $360k in legislative funding to continue SNAP Stretch program

By Vanta Coda III, RealWV

PAW PAW, W.Va. – The West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition, on Friday – in conjunction with Community Markets Inc.’s Magnolia Market out of Shepherdstown, and Cooper Farms out of Randolph Co. – hosted a farmers market event for the Paw Paw community.

This event was made possible as part of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 state budget, passed by the legislature on April 17. The budget included $360,000 in funding for “SNAP Stretch,” a nutrition incentive program designed to improve health outcomes for West Virginians.

Cordel Bostic, Communication and Legislative Policy Coordinator for the West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition, and Sen. Darren Throne, R-Hampshire, a major supporter of the “SNAP Stretch” addition to the budget legislation, are excited to see these funds implemented into food and nutrition deserts in West Virginia communities.

“It’s a very important thing that we do here in the state that not only just benefits the needy, but it helps our farmers,” said Thorne. “Our local farmers, no matter how big or small, benefit everybody. I’m glad Gov. Morrisey allowed the money to go through, and I appreciate the legislature for voting for this program to extend this, and hopefully in the future we can add to it.”

Operated by the West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition, SNAP Stretch enhances the value of SNAP/EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) benefits when used at local farmers’ markets and participating grocery stores. Depending on age and family size, customers can receive double or even triple the amount they spend, specifically for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. By incentivizing families to purchase more nutritious foods, the program directly supports better health, especially among children, seniors, and low-income households.

“We started in 2018 and have expanded into 30 counties since then,” said Bostic.  “The way the program works is that an EBT recipient who goes to a participating farmers market or grocery store can receive a 1:1, 1:2, or 1:3 match on fruits and vegetables. Everyone receives a 1:1 match. If a child is present, it’s a 1:2 match, and if it is a grandfamily, it is a 1:3 match.”

This year, over 30 farmers’ markets across the state have already launched SNAP Stretch, and more than 79,000 families have benefitted from the program to date. Since its inception, the program has also returned over $3 million to West Virginia’s local agricultural economy, with Community Markets Inc.’s Magnolia Market being the newest SNAP Stretch Market in West Virginia.

Magnolia Market is one of two mobile farmers markets operated by Community Markets, Inc., a nonprofit based in Jefferson Co., which currently serves 11 counties. The organization helps bring affordably priced food from local farmers to people and areas where nutritional food is not readily available. In turn, Community Markets, Inc. helps farmers sell products they might otherwise struggle to sell due to location or potential loss of profit from traveling to markets. Operations Manager for Community Markets Inc., Mark Peiffer, who helped with the Paw Paw, W.Va., event this past Friday, is excited about becoming a SNAP Stretch Market.

“We can get authorized through USDA, and then SNAP EBT users can come use their benefits here,” said Peiffer. “The money then goes back to our farmers, which is incredible, because otherwise, most of the like 99% of SNAP money goes out of state, whereas the program is really meant to revitalize agriculture and food production in our state, so we’re helping to capture that money and get it to the farmers. Everything you see here today was already purchased by us, and the farmer was paid a fair price, so now it’s on us to get it out. Anything that doesn’t sell today, and won’t last till another market, like the fruit and veggies and some of the meat, we’re going to give to a local food pantry that gives it away.”