(Sacramento, CA) – The State Legislature passed legislation authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) that will help California receive federal funding from the 2014 farm bill in order to expand healthy food access at farmers’ markets for low-income Californians receiving food stamps.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1321 passed the Assembly today with a 56-16 vote, following a 30-8 Senate vote on Wednesday. It is now pending Governor Jerry Brown’s signature or veto by October 11.
“We must improve access to nutritious food. The healthiest choice should be the easiest choice,” said Ting. “Diet is the foundation for good health. We can expand access to our state’s bounty by enlisting farmers’ markets in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. As the drought pushes food prices upward, we can ease the squeeze on families still waiting for the economic recovery to benefit their bottom line.”
AB 1321 directs the state’s Department of Food and Agriculture to obtain federal funding to provide incentives for food stamp recipients to shop at farmers’ markets. The federal farm bill of 2014 set aside $100 million to encourage the purchase and consumption of fresh grown produce through the Food insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) program.
Other states have taken a leadership role in obtaining these funds for their residents. Their success shows the need for California to do the same. In April, the feds announced the first found of FINI grants. Many of the largest grants went to states like Washington and Massachusetts, which coordinated state efforts targeting these funds.
“We should be getting more of these funds,” added Ting. “California is positioned to benefit from this program more than any other state because of our network of farmers markets and poverty challenges.”
Ting’s bill was inspired by an approach pioneered by San Francisco Bay Area non-profit organizations called Market Match. Administered by the Berkeley-based Ecology Center, Market Match operates at over 150 farmers’ markets across California. It doubles the purchasing power of families receiving food stamps shopping at farmers’ markets. This incentive has increased food stamp purchases at farmers’ markets up to 700 percent.
With over 400 commodities in production, California has unparalleled agricultural diversity. It also has the largest network of farmers’ markets of any state, comprised of over 700 markets. Over 11 million Californians live in poverty and 4 million struggle with food insecurity - or inadequate access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.
Here is what supporters are saying about AB 1321.
“We believe that California and the nation will be more healthy and resilient if we enhance food system infrastructures that make healthy food accessible and affordable. This bill contributes to the physical health of individuals, the economic health of small farms and rural communities. It is a win-win solution that cannot be missed.”
-Matthew Marsom, Vice President for Public Policy and Programs, Public Health Institute
“Limited resources for purchasing food has a dramatic impact on health and the risk of developing chronic diseases, like diabetes. This disproportionately impacts communities of color and is a critical factor in widening rational and ethnic disparities.”
-Justin Rausa, Policy Director, Roots of Change
“While California is now the world’s 7th largest economy, we still have the highest poverty rate nationally. Limited resources for purchasing food has a dramatic impact on health and increases the risk of developing preventable chronic diseases, like diabetes, with disproportionate impacts on communities of color in California.”
-Martin Bourque, Executive Director, Ecology Center
“AB 1321 would unlock FINI dollars more equitably, to areas in California where a nutrition incentive program has never existed and those that are disproportionately impacted by high rates of chronic disease, such as diabetes.”
-Xavier Morales, Executive Director, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California
“A 2013 evaluation of Market Match reported an average six-fold return, and serves a local economic development strategy for farming communities up and down the state. Participating growers have cited additional income from incentives as the reason for adding staff or acreage.”
-Ben Feldman, Chair, California Alliance of Farmers’ Markets
“Economic support for organic farmers is critical during these times of extreme drought and climate change because they conserve water, improve soil quality, sequester carbon, increase biodiversity, create pollinator habitats, and build drought resilience. Thus, we support AB 1321 because it offers economic support for organic farmers who work to improve California’s environmental health.”
-Kelly Damewood, Policy Director, California Certified Organic Farmers
“Ensuring that individuals and families have ready access to essential resources, such as nutritious food, helps households lead healthy, productive lives- and keep struggling Californians from falling further into poverty.”
-Alexis Fernandez, Director of Legislation, California Food Policy Advocates
“Investment in these match programs will benefit California’s farmers selling these products while making nutritious food more accessible for California’s most economically disadvantaged residents.”
-Noelle Cremers, Director, Natural Resources and Commodities, California Farm Bureau Federation
“We believe that a healthy lifestyle includes consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables daily as their increased consumption reduces the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables can play a role in reducing the $21 billion economic burden that obesity has on California’s healthcare system.”
-Kula Koenig, Government Relations Director, American Heart Association
Further information about AB 1321 is available at www.leginfo.ca.gov.