If you've received a "zero redeemer" letter from the USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) saying your SNAP authorization or FNA number has been reported as inactive, you'll need to act to keep your authorization active.
The letter may say:
Dear Retailer:
If you are actively accepting and redeeming Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits, you must contact the SNAP Retail Service Center immediately at 1-877-823-4369 to remain in the Program. Our review of your firm's participation in SNAP shows that you have not redeemed SNAP benefits for at least three months…
Step 1: Call the USDA SNAP Retail Service Center (most important)
Call the USDA SNAP Retail Service Center at 1-877-823-4369 and let them know you want to stay active. This should keep your account open.
Make this call first. Contacting GrownBy won't keep your account open. GrownBy connects you to a third-party EBT processor, such as Worldpay. USDA works with those processors on zero redeemer reports, not with GrownBy. GrownBy doesn't report any activity to USDA directly.
Step 2: Email the GrownBy SNAP support team
Email [email protected] and attach a copy of the letter you received. Include any helpful background, such as:
- Whether you accept SNAP payments regularly
- Whether you're currently in your sales season
We'll also reach out to USDA to help keep your SNAP authorization active. If it has already been terminated, we'll try to get it reinstated. Reinstatement sometimes requires a test transaction, which the GrownBy team can handle for you.
Why you might have received this letter
USDA runs these reports periodically. If a report covers a stretch when you processed no SNAP payments, you may get a zero redeemer letter. For example:
- Your farm stand is closed for the winter.
- You're a new SNAP retailer and are still getting the word out that you accept SNAP.
Whatever the cause, we're here to help you stay an active SNAP retailer.