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Training Your Vendors

  1. What can participating Vendors sell?
  2. SNAP Vendor Guidelines
  3. What if vendors are not properly trained?
  4. Vendor Agreement
  5. How to train Vendors

Once your market is approved to accept SNAP benefits, you must train each vendor that chooses to take participate in the market’s SNAP program. Here is a training presentation you may use to train your vendors.

What can participating Vendors sell?

Only eligible items may be sold for SNAP benefits. SNAP eligible items include:

  • Vegetables
  • Meats
  • Dairy
  • Eggs
  • Seeds and plants that produce food
  • Baked goods
  • Syrup and honey
  • Jams and jellies

You CANNOT sell:

  • Hot food
  • Drinks
  • Arts and crafts
  • Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco
  • Pet foods

See a full listing of items at http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailers/eligible.htm.

SNAP Program Guidelines

  • Only eligible items can be sold for SNAP redemption
  • NO CHANGE (no cash back) can be given on SNAP transactions. The sale must be for the exact amount of scrip/tokens or the customer can make up the difference with cash.
  • SNAP benefits may NEVER be exchanged for cash
  • Your market may have additional guidelines and you may ask Vendors to sign a Vendor Agreement

What if vendors are not properly trained?

If vendors are not properly trained, and one or more vendor violates the SNAP program guidelines, then the market may lose their SNAP eligibility. For this reason, it is very important that your vendors are trained and understand SNAP guidelines! Consider asking your vendors to sign a Vendor Agreement and provide them with a copy of this Vendor ‘Cheat Sheet’.

Vendor Agreement

For your market records, and to assure that all participating vendors understand SNAP program guidelines and your market’s rules, consider asking vendors to sign a Vendor Agreement. This agreement should be reviewed and renewed each year.

How to train Vendors

Every participating vendor should receive proper SNAP training. Feel free to use this Vendor Training Presentation or come up with your own way to train your vendors. The FNS office may also provide your market with training materials. You may also ask vendors to sign a Vendor Agreement and provide them with this Vendor ‘Cheat Sheet’.