Indiana farmers markets to accept food stamps

It's about time. I knew I liked this (Republican) governor, but he was starting to really disappoint me. This makes up for it.

A bill signed into law this month opens the way for farmers markets to accept EBT food stamps (the debit-card system that replaced the paper stamps some years ago). Twenty EBT machines are supposed to be in place by the end of the year; realistically, there will probably not be significant implementation until next farmers-market season. So while I won't benefit personally, this is a great step in exactly the right direction.

Athens' farmers market has had an EBT food-stamp card swipe machine (insert technical name here) for a year or so. It's quite simple: there's one card swipe machine thing at a central kiosk, and you enter the amount of benefits you want to redeem, as if you were making a regular food purchase anywhere, and in exchange you get a handful of $1 tokens you can use to pay for your purchases. Nearly all the vendors (that is, of those who offer products you can use food stamps to buy) do accept the tokens, which they later redeem for their cash. I hope that the system that Indiana sets up will be as easy to use, and as successful. And that more states catch on.