The money is part of a $4 million grant approved by Congress. At the West Side Market, the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service administrator, Audrey Rowe, explained how the funding will help vendors set up wireless technology, so that they can take plastic as well as cash from customers.
Rowe says this includes participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which provides food assistance to lower-income people.
"We know the importance of SNAP participants having access to healthy food," says Rowe. "I just heard from the farm just down the street, 17 percent of their expenditures went to residents who live in the housing development there."
Emma Anderson of the North Union Farmers Market says the capability of taking plastic, especially SNAP cards, gives inner-city residents more -- and better options -- for fresher, healthier food.
"It is helping them, and I've heard a lot of great feedback about how they can buy more of what they want, and more of the produce that's good for their family."
And West Side Market vendor David Divoky says he began accepting SNAP cards three months ago, and it's helped his business, Maple Valley Sugarbush & Farm, located in Geauga County.
"It's enabled people to buy some of our maple syrup products instead of a bottle of Aunt Jemima," says Divoky. "They can get the real thing."
The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services can allocate up to $1,100 in grant money to interested vendors. The state's share of the $4 million approved by Congress is $161,359.