Columbia and Boone County Farmers Markets are installing machines that will be able to accept electronic food stamps and debit cards.A specialty crop block grant funded the machines.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture says the machines will help promote healthy eathing habits and will help the markets grow.

"This new program, that we're having here in the state is gonna help those citizens eat healthy and eat local, but also at the same time help grow our farmers markets," marketing specialist Lane McConnell said. "You know more people are going to be able to go to the farmers markets and use their debit cards and also their food stamp cards."

Each machine costs 16,000 dollars and the markets will have to pay 40 cents for everytime a debit card is used, and 10 cents for every E-B-T use.

Reported by Nick Beradini