The Albert Lea Farmers Market will participate in National Farmers Market Week Aug. 7-13.

In celebration of the week, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and the Minnesota Farmers Market Association have announced that the market just installed a terminal to accept electronic benefits transfer cards. Blue Cross is offering an incentive to match an extra $5 when people spend $5 with their EBT cards at the market.

The incentive aims to help people on the food assistance to purchase and eat more fruits and vegetables.

Positive results from a pilot program at three Minneapolis farmers markets last year were driving forces behind the decision to expand EBT and market bucks to more markets this year. At the Midtown Farmers Market in Minneapolis, the number of people using EBT at the market more than doubled and EBT transactions more than tripled over 2009. Also, six in 10 repeat customers surveyed reported that the market bucks program positively affected the amount of fruits and vegetables they ate (46 percent eating “a little more” and 13 percent eating “a lot more”).

“We were really pleased with the results, so we jumped at the opportunity to work with more markets this year and help introduce more people to the healthy foods available to them at farmers markets,” said Marc Manley, chief prevention officer for Blue Cross. “We’re invested in this effort because we care about the health of all Minnesotans. This work makes the healthy choice the easy choice, so we have a better chance at preventing unnecessary disease due to unhealthy eating.”

The Albert Lea Farmers Market began in 1980 and currently has 35 farmers, bakers and craft vendors selling a variety of fruits and vegetables, plus body products, breads, local raw honey, maple syrup, beef, pork and free-range eggs.

“The Albert Lea Farmers Market is pleased to have the addition of the EBT and Market Bucks program,” said Linda Peterson, Albert Lea’s market manager. “It will enhance the ability of our customers not only to eat healthy, but also to stretch their food dollars, while increasing the income of their local growers.”