Nutrition incentives are additional set dollar amounts used to match purchases of fresh produce at local farmers markets made through FNS/SNAP or WIC. In Catawba County, the Catawba County Public Health Farmers Market offers SNAP Double Bucks and WIC Bonus Bucks at their summer seasonal market. The Downtown Hickory Farmers Market offers SNAP Double Bucks at their year-round market. 

Since the 2023 Community Health Assessment, both farmers markets have been working together to identify opportunities for customer engagement to inform future growth and improvements of these nutrition incentive programs. We've also identified a continued need for financial sustainability of these programs, as well as a need to increase geographic reach within the county. 

In 2024, Catawba County Public Health Farmers Market secured a grant through Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC that enabled them to continue their Double Bucks program, which provides a dollar-for-dollar match on FNS/SNAP purchases for fresh produce at our market, up to $30. This funding was also used to help sustain and expand their WIC Bonus Bucks program, doubling the amount each participant receives and increasing access to fresh, healthy food for families in our community.

In 2025, Catawba County Public Health Farmers Market continued the Double Bucks program, offering a dollar-for-dollar match on FNS/SNAP purchases up to $30 each week for fresh produce alongside the WIC Bonus Bucks program, which provides eligible WIC clients with an additional dollar amount to spend on fresh produce. The Downtown Hickory Farmers Market (DHFM) continued accepting FNS/SNAP and offering SNAP Double Bucks at their year-round market. DHFM previously received a grant for SNAP Double Bucks, this year they had to move to a fundraising model to fund SNAP Double Bucks and therefore had less funding available for matching. The Conover Farmers Market is also now accepting FNS/SNAP and is working toward offering SNAP Double Bucks.