Braintree,
Massachusetts August 17, 2012:
Sustainable Braintree, host of the Braintree Farmers Market, and the
Ever So Humble Pie Co, owned and operated by Andrea Taber, wish to issue this
joint statement to clarify news stories concerning them and the EBT (formerly
food stamps) program.
Sustainable Braintree respects the opinions of all its
vendors. As an organization focused on
environmental change, we encourage and applaud other organizations and
individuals who express their opinion and take steps to further positive change
in their community. In response to
requests from the visitors and vendors of the Market, EBT, Credit Card, and
Debit card payments were introduced for the Market’s 2012 year. Our vendors have been asked to join this
program although it has not been mandatory.
Andrea Taber's frustration with the EBT program is directed
at the US Department of Agriculture and the organizations that dictate what EBT
benefits can and cannot be used for.
Sustainable Braintree has no control, nor any opinion, over the EBT
program. Andrea Taber, and the Ever So
Humble Pie Company, Inc, have been a welcome vendor at the Market for the past
three years and Sustainable Braintree hopes to continue this positive
relationship with her and her business.
Quotes attributed to Donna Ingemanson have been taken out of context in
an unfair manner. Neither Donna
Ingemanson nor Sustainable Braintree take any position regarding the EBT
program but rather will continue to seek ways to grow the Market and respond to
the needs and requests of its visitors and vendors.
For more information about the mission of Sustainable
Braintree please visit www.sustainablebraintree.org.
The Ever So Humble Pie Company's home on the web can be
found at www.eversohumble.com/
While I understand the necessity of the Braintree Farmers Market to maintain neutrality on this issue, I take issue with people like Ms. Taber who chose to pass judgment on what people on food stamps should purchase. The decision to include Farmers Markets in the EBT chain was to encourage people to buy fresh produce. This taxpayer sees no problem if they take some comfort in an occasional treat. More intriguing is Ms Taber's comment quoted on the front page of the Braintree Forum today that" I don't think that American taxpayers should be footing the bill to buy non-nutritious foods." I guess this means her pies have no nutritional value. Who knew!
ReplyDeleteAnn Marie Joyce
Braintree, MA