Recently in 2020, many small business seafood markets in Volusia county, Florida and surrounding areas lost their ability to accept food stamps as a method of payment for live and raw seafood. The USDA, Food and Nutrition Service put a stop to allow small business specialty seafood markets to accept food stamps (EBT cards). In turn this decision greatly affects our community and eligible persons receiving food stamp benefits. Now people cannot buy fresh live blue crab or fresh whole fish and many other seafood and specialty food items that would not be available for purchase from big supermarkets. Large supermarkets and box stores do not offer or sell live crabs making it impossible for constituents to purchase certain eligible products with their food stamp card. However, if going into the same supermarket where they are selling the same or similar items, constituents are able to use this method of payment to buy their food. We feel the need to step up and speak out to bring awareness regarding this issue in our community, so that people with food stamps can purchase these items from stores and businesses in various counties, cities, and states across the USA that provide this specialty seafood. Since this decision has been made it has greatly affected thousands and thousands of constituents in the Daytona Beach, Volusia County and many other surrounding communities. On top of that, small businesses, local fishermen, and many other suppliers of fresh seafood are struggling to keep working and pay their bills. Not only are all parties struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic, now are feeling a greater loss due to the decision made by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Attached is a petition for you to sign so that we can alert congress of this problem in our community. Together we can bring awareness and be the voice of change in our community and surrounding areas. Please stand with us so that we can be heard! By signing this petition, you are agreeing that people who receive food stamp benefits from the USDA should be able to by eligible items such as live blue crabs, local fresh caught fish, and other seafood items from their local small business seafood markets in the community.