The Double Up Food Bucks Program—a nutrition incentive program aimed at increasing healthy produce access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shoppers—is expanding. The Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) is administered by Field & Fork Network, a New York nonprofit focused on strengthening the New York State’s food system. The program is currently offered in over 30 counties in the state.
In 2023, the Cornell Action Research Collaborative partnered with Field & Fork Network and received $8 million is USDA funding to evaluate the program and identify opportunities for expansion, supporting the organizations goal of reaching every county outside of New York City by 2027.
This June, Field & Fork announced a public-private partnership with the City of Rochester and Tops Friendly Markets. Through Rochester’s Healthy Food Access Initiative, Double Up Food Bucks can now be used for frozen foods at Tops locations in Rochester for a limited time.
“We know that frozen fruits and vegetables have nutritional value and can be stored longer than most fresh produce. So, it’s great to see the Double Up Food Bucks Program expand to include frozen produce for select Tops shoppers in New York,” said Tashara M. Leak, Associate Professor in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University and Co-Director of the Action Research Collaborative. “The inclusion of frozen produce is a big step towards making healthier foods more affordable and accessible to families experiencing food insecurity.”
At a press event in Ithaca, New York, Field & Fork also announced DUFB’s expansion to GreenStar Co-Op’s three locations in Ithaca. This collaboration will increase SNAP benefits and help alleviate the burden of food insecurity in Thompkins County – where approximately 1 in 7 people struggle to put food on the table.
“This innovative program is a powerful tool in increasing food access for SNAP customers, allowing them to purchase more fresh, healthy produce. I fully support this initiative, as it not only helps to alleviate food insecurity but also promotes better nutrition and supports our local farmers,” said State Senator Lea Webb in a press release. Webb joined the Field & Fork team and ARC Co-Director, Neil Lewis, Jr. ‘13, at the event announcing the partnership.
DUFB’s expansion to GreenStar will also allow ARC’s evaluation unit to better understand local needs and areas for program improvement.
“Bringing Double Up to Greenstar will allow us to learn more about effective ways to address this problem locally, and how to use those lessons to address food insecurity around the state,” said Neil Lewis, Jr. ‘13, Nancy ‘62 and Peter ‘61 Meinig Family Investigator in the Life Sciences and Associate Professor of Communication in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and co-director of the ARC.