Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

What are your thoughts on this?
Mine - I say good for her


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A Walpole baker — appalled that welfare abuse now seems almost as American as apple pie — is putting her whoopie pies where her mouth is in a dispute with the Braintree Farmers Market, refusing to take EBT cards for her baked treats.
“I don’t think American taxpayers should be footing the bill for people’s pie purchases,” said Andrea Taber, proprietor of the Ever So Humble Pie Co. in Walpole, who peddles her wares at the Braintree market on Fridays and now finds herself in the middle of the state’s raging fight over welfare benefits.
“To me it’s no different than nail salons and Lottery tickets,” Taber said. “It’s pastry, it’s dessert. My pies are great, but come on.”
Organizers of the farmers market insist that they just want poor people to have access to the market’s healthy, fresh foods.
“We just thought that people that were on food stamps a lot of times don’t have healthy choices,” said Braintree Farmers Market chairwoman Donna Ingemanson. “What better chance to buy healthy foods than at a farmers market?”

It all started in May, when Ingemanson wrote the market’s vendors to “encourage everyone who sells eligible products to participate” in a program in which the market will sell tokens to EBT cardholders to use at market stalls.

Taber told the Herald she has no problem with customers using their taxpayer-funded welfare benefits to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. But she draws a line when it comes to her own sweet, fatty goods.

“They looked at me like I had six heads,” said Taber, who fired off an email on July 20 stating her objections.

“I know it’s been a struggle for you to accept this program but we really need to work something out,” Ingemanson emailed back the same day. “Other markets make it mandatory to sign on to these programs and my guess is that it will be for us soon. ... In fact, you’re the only one who is resistant to the idea.”

Ingemanson told the Herald that in light of Taber’s resistance, the farmers market management will consider during the winter whether to require all vendors to accept EBT payment next year.

“If that’s the case, I’ll take my leave,” Taber told the Herald. “I’m not going to sacrifice my principles and standards for the sake of a few more sales.”

Ingemanson said she’s hopeful they can work something out, but that Taber is launching a one-woman protest.

“We haven’t had a problem with any of the other vendors,” Ingemanson said. “We had a conversation earlier, and I was disappointed she didn’t do it.”

Taber has taken the issue to state Rep. Shaunna O’Connell (R-Taunton), a welfare reformer who provided the email exchange to the Herald, and stands with Taber: “She should not be penalized for standing up for her principles — she should be applauded.”

Businesses must apply and be approved to accept EBT cards, and normally are not obliged to do so. Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Daniel Curley said the state wants welfare recipients to “access healthy food,” but he declined to weigh in on whether farmers markets that choose to accept EBT cards can compel their vendors to take part.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

mmmm..And what if this pie was being bought for birthday dinner, or a special occasion? I think it's really high and might of this women to make moral judgments on people who's situations she does not know.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

Message edited 8/15/2012 7:00:32 PM.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I think she's being a raging *****.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I have issues with those meme's (if you can call it that) that have been going around on facebook recently too. Something about a person having an iPhone and nice car and using an EBT card.
No one know anyone's situation. Those things may have been bought before he/she lost his job or a spouse past away leaving this person with very little income.
It's so damn judgmental.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I get her point. We're talking about pie. Just because something is sold at a farmer's market doesn't make it some sort of nutritional staple. Pie is not a civil right. If you can't afford to pay for it yourself, maybe you shouldn't be shopping for pie. There was a time in my life when I couldn't afford to indulge in Starbucks whenever I wanted to. So I didn't. I didn't ask the taxpayers to buy it for me.

And if it was for a kid's birthday cake, I am sure the person in question would have no trouble buying a cake or pie at the supermarket with their EBT card.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I think it's great that she's standing up for what she believes in. People who are on welfare can get stuff from the supermarket. I know someone who works off the books and still collects welfare and spends money on the most ridiculous things -- it really makes me mad!

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

i 100% whole heartedly agree with her. good for her for standing up for what she believes in!

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

Posted by mrsBLT



i 100% whole heartedly agree with her. good for her for standing up for what she believes in!

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I don't think the poor people in this country are the problem, pie or not.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I dunno. I can see where she's coming from.

I'm a social worker and see so much abuse of our tax payer money that goes on.

I also have been in DSS, seen ppl on their IPhones AND making drug deals.

I think our whole system is screwed up.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I also want to add, that especially here on LI, shopping at the Farmer's Market is a luxury.

I'd be broke if I went there every week.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I'm not sure but I believe that the food stamp program has speciific rules about what kinds of foods are part of the program. I have always wondered about this issue when I've seen the farmers at Union Square taking food stamps. The vendors that sell cakes take them just as the ones that sell fruits and vegetables do. Sure it is fine to have a pie once in a while. It is also fine to have a drink once in a while but the food stamps were not meant for alcohol either.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

Produce/food/etc generally cost more at Farmer's Markets. There is plenty of fresh produce and healthy food that can be purchased for cheaper at a supermarket. I'm kind of surprised that welfare system would allow EBT benefits to be used at a Farmer's Market. Regarding the birthday cake, I don't think anyone is saying that people on food stamps aren't entitled to birthday celebrations, cake, etc but FWIW, you can buy a box of cake mix for 1/10 of what a bakery pie or cake costs.

Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

They can buy a box of cake mix and jar of frosting at a supermarket on sale for $3 combined, I do it all the time. A special pie from a bakery is not a need it's a want. There are times I make my own desserts instead of buying them from a bakery to save some money.

If I was spending other people's money, then I would definitely be more conservative with my spending.

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Before I say anything, I want to preface it by saying that my mom was on WIC when we were kids. It was for a very short time, but I distinctly remember eating welfare peanut-butter on white bread and box macaroni and cheese with hot dogs in it for like a year straight. But its not intended to be a system that provides whatever you want, best of the best. It is a system that provides enough to live on, until you can get back on your feet. But I think its silly to make welfare so comfortable and plush that it encourages people to stay on it for longer than they need to. It makes me batty when I see people shopping at Whole Foods with a welfare card. Welfare is intended to get you through a hard time, not to provide the luxury items, and yes, organic, specialty pies are a luxury.

I do understand what people are saying about the fruit/vegetable component and I teach in a Title 1 school (100% free lunch) and see what atrocious things that these kids bring for snack (bodega gummy worms and Hi-C?..or my personal fave: bag of marshmallows) I am completely for education and access to healthy food. I work in a food desert and its impossible to buy something healthy, but I can buy candy and liqueur 10 places. I am more commenting on the specific pie dilemma. I think that WIC or welfare should be limited to staples, that's all.

Message edited 8/15/2012 9:53:10 PM.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

They started accepting FS at farmers markets to encourage purchasing fresh produce and to support local farmers since it's a USDA program. Making healthy choices has always been a point of contention for them because there are so many barriers. I work in a very poor community and all of the FS outreach is accompanied with a big push in education along with bringing in healthier choices to the area. How can you expect people to buy fresh produce or skim milk when they live in a food desert? And If you grew up eating chips for breakfast, chances are you will teach for kids the same. It's a much bigger issue than "should we let them eat cake?" Access and education play huge roles. By my office, there's a farmers market open Saturdays, and I wouldn't dare buy produce in every other bodega or supermarket in walking distance. I grew up exposed to a variety of healthy foods and if I don't bring lunch from home I starve. The people from the community have had a very different experience.

That being said, my personal opinion is that although the gov shouldn't dictate what we can and cannot buy, I don't think they should allow all the processed, kid-marketed foods that they do. Right now you're only allowed to buy cold, unprepared foods. For example, you can buy bread and a pound of turkey and cheese,but you can't buy a turkey sandwich. I think the FS program has a long way to go but playing dictator isn't the answer.

I also must add that in the 5 years I worked enrolling people in FS, it was easy to identify the fraudsters but the great majority of people on FS are working families, mainly single moms.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

Im with her. She should be able to say no. Even my daughter's school refuses credit cards of all types, so why should an individual business be REQUIRED to accept food stamps. That's just outrageous and stupid.

I'm with her on her principles and also because the whole idea in its very basic terms is just down right silly.

Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I don't live on LI, though I am in NY. We've had a farmer's market since before they were trendy. And stuff is always WAY cheaper than our supermarkets.

I find that money goes much further when you buy cheap junk food. I try to buy a lot of fresh fruit and it's pricey. I used to work in a very poor neighborhood so I know nutrition is an issue. And of course people scam the system but there are also honest people trying to get by and I think it's sad to begrudge something like a pie that may have been for a special occasion.

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

I don't know how to feel.

But i do know that it mainly makes me feel sad...anytime someone faces poverty or hard times and needs to rely on assistance its never a happy thing. Some abuse the system and some truly need it to get some help when they are faced with either job loss, illness etc...

What makes me so sad is that we live in such a freaking wasteful country. I would hope that this person at least donates leftover baked goods to shelters or programs for those that need food...its crazy to see how much we throw out and how many people really need it...

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...

Re: Baker refuses to take EBT cards...