Double Up Dakota Bucks is a nutrition incentive program that helps low income families in North Dakota and South Dakota get more food for their money. This program helps families get food, helps farmers earn more money, and helps the local economy grow. It’s a win for everyone!
What are Double Up Dakota Bucks?
Double Up Dakota Bucks is the local name of the Double Up program in North and South Dakota. Different states have chosen different names for this program. For example, in Hawaii, the program is called DA BUX. The name may change depending on where you live but the overall concept is the same.
Basically, when you buy eligible fresh produce from a participating retailer you will receive extra produce for free! It’s a dollar matching program. That means the more you spend on eligible products, the more free products you’ll receive! You can receive up to $20 in free produce per day through this program.
The Double Up Dakota Bucks program is managed through a partnership between North Dakota State University (NDSU) and South Dakota State University (SDSU), as well as the USDA and the Fair Food Network.
Who is eligible for Double Up Dakota Bucks?
Anyone who shops with food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps) at a participating retailer can receive Double Up Dakota Bucks. Unlike other states, the Dakota program does not offer benefits for people shopping with WIC or other nutrition program benefits. Only SNAP benefits are eligible at this time.
You don’t even have to be a resident of North or South Dakota to do this! Visitors from other states can participate as long as they buy eligible products with their SNAP food benefits.
How does this program work?
You just need to buy fresh fruit or vegetables from a participating retailer with your SNAP benefits in order to get these free food coupons!
In order to earn points toward your Dakota Bucks, you’ll need to purchase fresh fruit, fresh vegetables or other eligible produce. Only the money spent on these specific products will count toward your Dakota Bucks earnings.
At checkout, you’ll receive a coupon for fresh fruits and vegetables. The coupon will be equal to the amount you spend on eligible products, thereby doubling how much money you receive for what you spent.
The coupons have to be redeemed at the same store you received them. You can use multiple coupons in the same transaction, so it’s okay if you decide to save them up. In fact, the market manager at the Rolla Market has stated that many families use those coupons at the end of the month when their normal SNAP benefits have all been spent and there would ordinarily be nothing left to purchase food with.
Where can I get Double Up Dakota Bucks?
In order to get those free vouchers, you need to make sure that you are purchasing your food from a participating retailer. Not every grocery store or farmers market in the state offers these coupons, so you need to make sure that you’re shopping in the right place!
You can get DUDB from the following markets in North Dakota:
- BisMarket Farmers Market (Bismark)
- Capitol Farmers Market (Bismark)
- Lena’s Fresh Farmers Market (Rolla)
- North Prairie Farmers Market (Minot)
- Red River Farmers Market (Fargo)
- Rolette Farmers Market (Rolette)
- Spirit Lake Mobile Market (Fort Totten)
- Twin Towns Gardeners Market (Wahpeton)
In South Dakota, the following markets participate:
- Buche Foods (Gregory)
- Buche Foods (Mission)
- Buche Foods (Oacoma)
- Buche Foods (Pine Ridge)
- Buche Foods (Sisseton)
- Buche Foods (Wagner)
- Cahoy’s General Store (Lake Andes)
- Lakota Thrifty Mart (Dupree)
Summary
Double Up Dakota Bucks is part of the Double Up Food Bucks movement, which is designed to provide nutrition incentives to low income shoppers. If you use SNAP food benefits in either North or South Dakota, you can double those benefits by shopping at the participating retailers listed in this article. It’s a great way to get free food!
Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.