NEW YORK, NY November 21, 2008 —The city's green markets have seen a surge in shoppers using food stamp debit cards. Council Speaker Christine Quinn says that's due a 2006 program that brought credit card style scanners to green markets.

QUINN: Low income folks now are using their food stamps to get access to and purchase high quality fruits and vegetables and the number of fruits and vegetables being purchased by these low income New Yorkers is going up significantly.

REPORTER: Quinn says from July to September more than $28,000 worth of fresh food was purchased at green markets with food stamps.

The Council has increased food stamp funding by $270,000 for the next fiscal year.

She calls the program a success because it increases access to locally grown produce, and increases profits for local farmers.