State Budget Subcommittees on Health and Human Services will be meeting soon to consider the request to fund the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project: April 4 in the Assembly, and April 19 in the Senate.
CFPA is now actively soliciting sign-on’s to a coalition letter of support to invest $9 million General Fund to fund financial incentives for CalFresh households to purchase California-grown fruits and vegetables; provide support for participating retailers and community partners; and to finance state systems improvements to the CalFresh EBT system. Show your support for making healthy food more affordable and accessible!
-
Read the Budget Request Letter to fund the Double the Fresh in CalFresh pilot. PDF
-
Upload your organization’s logo to the letter to show your support: link
Learn more about CFPA’s related sponsored legislation, SB 900 (Wiener & Arambula). link
Background
This State Budget Request would enable the pilot projects set forth by SB 900 to be fully funded. It would bring millions of dollars in incentives to support the purcahse of California-grown produce to the places where CalFresh households shop: grocery stores, farmers markets, and other retailers that sell a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Fight Hunger & Support California Agriculture
CalFresh helps over 4 million people put food on the table. Despite the reach of CalFresh, the federal benefit levels limit the ability to purchase healthy foods. Supplemental nutrition incentive programs provide matching dollars tied to the purchase of California-grown vegetables and fruit. These programs operate locally across the state to make fruits and vegetables more affordable for low-income Californians.
To boost the potential for people, farms, and the economy, we should integrate California fruit and vegetable benefits into CalFresh EBT, which is widely accepted by retailers statewide. We can advance our state systems to support food security, health and agriculture.
Learn more about CalFresh link
Sign-up to receive SB 900 legislative updates. link
Questions: Contact Tracey Patterson at 510.433.1122 ext 101, or tracey@cfpa.net
