How are food stamps used?
Food stamp benefits are used like cash to buy eligible items at any store, supermarket or co-op approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Food stamps can only be used for food and for plants and seed to grow food to eat. Sales tax cannot be charged on items bought with food stamps.
Effective March 2002, Indiana implemented an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system in Indiana. EBT is the electronic distribution of food stamp benefits. Benefits are accessed with a plastic Hoosier Works card. The card replaced paper food stamp coupons. The Hoosier Works EBT card is similar to commercial debit and ATM cards; it has a unique sixteen-digit account number, a magnetic stripe on the back and only works with a four digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) selected by the participant.
The application process, eligibility requirements and the amount of assistance received did not change with the EBT system.
