“Our most recent survey of OSU students at the Corvallis campus estimated that 43% were food insecure,” said Jenny Jackson, a clinical associate professor of nutrition at Oregon State University. 

According to Jackson, food insecurity is defined as an individual or household that doesn’t know where their next meal will come from or can’t afford the food they need. 

Many food insecure individuals utilize programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, in which participants receive monthly benefits to purchase groceries. SNAP is funded through the US Department of Agriculture and benefit amounts are determined by household income and size.

However, with rollbacks on pandemic boosts to SNAP and talk from the new federal administration about further cuts to SNAP, the program’s future appears uncertain. 

“The threats of cuts to programs like SNAP are very concerning as they will result in higher rates of food insecurity,” Jackson said. “Which has real consequences for children, adults and families, including inadequate nutrient intake, poor general health, mental health problems and higher risk of chronic disease.”

While SNAP benefits are a pillar in the fight against food insecurity, even with SNAP benefits, fresh and nutritious foods are not always accessible for those facing food insecurity. 

That’s where Double Up Food Bucks comes in. 

DUFB is a program offered in Oregon where “SNAP participants can double their SNAP dollars to spend on fresh produce at participating Oregon CSA’s, Farmers Markets, Farm Stands and Grocery Stores,” Jackson said. 

The Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Market, which opened for its spring season on April 19, is one of those locations where DUFB is offered.

With DUFB, farmers’ market customers can match up to $20 of SNAP benefits at each market event to buy fresh, locally grown produce, explained Rebecca Landis, market director of the Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Market.

DUFB can be spent on fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, dried beans, fresh herbs and plants that produce food.

“Many people are eating a better diet with a lot more fruits and vegetables in it, and they are able to also — if they have children — they’re able to teach their kids about foods that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford,” Landis said.

Jackson echoed this sentiment, saying that “DUFB means higher SNAP benefits, which raises not only the amount that low-income households spend on groceries, it also raises consumption of nutritious foods.”

DUFB also has a positive effect on the local economy, with all the money spent at the market from SNAP and DUFB staying in a six county area. 

According to Landis’ records, in 2024, across all Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Markets, $144,978 of SNAP benefits were redeemed, and $118,478 of DUFB was redeemed. “There’s an economic multiplier,” Landis said. “The economic effect on these farmers in the market is very noticeable from both the SNAP and the double up.”

Apart from the nutritional effects of cuts to SNAP, Jackson noted that they could have a significant financial impact as well.

“The proposed cuts would be devastating to millions of Americans at a time when people are already struggling with the increased cost of groceries. Cutting SNAP benefits also hurts farmers, distributors and small businesses,” Jackson said. 

Landis also warned of the impact of cuts to SNAP, saying, “I’m concerned about everything that’s going on, and certainly … everything that involves the food system. We’re all concerned. But we don’t have any specifics yet … At the emergency level, at the food bank level, we are already experiencing some problems … but we can’t see anything happening here today at the farmers market.”

As of now, SNAP benefits and DUFB are moving forward as usual. DUFB can be redeemed at the market’s information tent on both Wednesday and Saturday markets. DUFB is given out as $2 vouchers to spend, and must be used before Dec. 31. 

“There’s a lot of bureaucracy behind the scenes to make it happen,” Landis said. ”But we believe in it really strongly … We think this is part of why we’re here in the community, and, you know, it’s become part of our mission.”

Students can check their eligibility or apply for SNAP at one.oregon.gov/.

For those seeking assistance with applying for SNAP or navigating food insecurity, OSU’s Basic Needs Center is a resource for students on campus, located at 1030 SW Madison Ave. Students interested in learning more can also visit their website at basicneeds.oregonstate.edu.