You can buy seeds and plants with EBT at any SNAP-authorized retailer that stocks them, including grocery stores, many farmers markets, some garden centers and home improvement stores, and online sellers like Amazon and Walmart. Federal law counts seeds and plants that produce food for your household as eligible food, so the purchase is treated like any other grocery item at the register.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 7 USC 2012 – Definitions The catch is the store: it has to be individually authorized to accept SNAP, and not every place that sells seeds is.
In-Store Options
Grocery Stores and Supermarkets
Grocery chains are the most reliable place to use EBT for seeds and starter plants. They already process SNAP for food, so eligible seed packets and vegetable starts ring up the same way produce does. Most stores stock them seasonally near the garden section or produce department, and larger chains like Walmart carry a broad selection in-store.
Farmers Markets
Many farmers markets accept SNAP, and vendors often sell seedlings, herb plants, and starter sets alongside produce. To find one near you, use the USDA’s SNAP Retailer Locator and filter by “Farmers and Markets” under store type.2Food and Nutrition Service. Farmers Markets Accepting SNAP Benefits Some markets also run incentive programs that add bonus dollars to your SNAP spending on fruits and vegetables, though whether those bonus dollars can go toward seeds and plants depends on the program. Ask at the market’s information booth.
Garden Centers and Home Improvement Stores
Dedicated nurseries and the garden departments at large home improvement stores sometimes accept EBT for food-producing plants, but coverage is inconsistent. Each location has to be authorized as a SNAP retailer and have its point-of-sale system set up to process EBT. Call ahead before you make the trip.
Buying Online
SNAP online purchasing is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.3Food and Nutrition Service. Stores Accepting SNAP Online Amazon and Walmart both list EBT-eligible seeds, herb plants, and vegetable starts, and you can pay with your EBT card at checkout and have them shipped or delivered.
One limit to plan around: SNAP won’t cover delivery fees, service charges, or any other convenience fees.3Food and Nutrition Service. Stores Accepting SNAP Online You’ll need a debit or credit card on file to cover those. Delivery availability depends on the retailer’s footprint in your area, so check the retailer’s own site rather than assuming coverage.
How to Confirm a Store Accepts EBT
The USDA’s SNAP Retailer Locator is the definitive check. Enter your address or zip code and the results show every authorized retailer nearby, from grocery stores to farmers markets to specialty shops.4Food and Nutrition Service. SNAP Retailer Locator If a store isn’t on that list, it can’t process your EBT card no matter what it sells.
What Qualifies and What Doesn’t
The eligibility rule is straightforward: seeds and plants that grow food for your household are covered.5eCFR. 7 CFR 271.2 – Definitions That includes vegetable seeds, herb plants, fruit-bearing bushes, edible roots and bulbs like asparagus crowns and onion sets, and fruit or nut trees.6Food and Nutrition Service. Food Determinations – Eligible Food (Excluding Meal Services) Culinary herbs like basil, cilantro, and rosemary qualify too.
What doesn’t qualify:
- Ornamental plants, flowers, decorative shrubs, and grass seed
- Herb products labeled as dietary supplements (“supplement facts” instead of “nutrition facts”)
- Soil, fertilizer, pesticides, pots, gardening tools, and raised bed materials7Food and Nutrition Service. What Can SNAP Buy?
The rule tracks what actually becomes food. A tomato plant qualifies because you eat the tomatoes; the planter it grows in does not. If you’re stocking up for a garden, expect to cover the supplies with another form of payment even when they’re on the same shelf as the eligible plants.