NEW YORK, NY August 04, 2006 —New Yorkers who use food stamps will get better access to buying fresh fruit and vegetables. The City Council is launching an initiative to equip farmers at greenmarkets to accept electronic benefits cards or EBTs.

Since food stamps switched from paper to cards in 2000, it's been difficult for people to use them to shop at the city's 80 farmers markets.

Joel Berg, Executive Director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger praised today's initiative and said it will help combat hunger and obesity.

BERG: Produce unaffordable is produce unavailable. There are over a million people in New York City currently receiving food stamps and hunger and obesity are the flipsides of the same malnutrition coin. To deal with one you have to deal with the other.

The pilot program is being launched in 4 farmers markets in Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens.