BILL ANALYSIS Ó
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de León, Chair
AB 224 (Gordon) - Agricultural Products: Direct Marketing:
Community Supported Agriculture
Amended: June 26, 2013 Policy Vote: Agriculture 4-0
Urgency: No Mandate: Yes
Hearing Date: August 12, 2013
Consultant: Robert Ingenito
This bill does not meet the criteria for referral to the
Suspense File.
Bill Summary: AB 224 bill would (1) define community-supported
agriculture (CSA) within the direct marketing program regulated
by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and
(2) establish regulatory parameters and require CSA registration
fees to fund administration and related programmatic costs, as
specified.
Fiscal Impact: CDFA indicates that it would need 0.5 positions
and $25,000 (special funds) to implement the provisions of the
bill. CDFA identifies about 350 CSAs in the State. The $100 fee
would generate $35,000 in annual revenue. Thus, revenues
generated by the bill would be sufficient to fund the additional
costs identified above.
Background: CSA has been a growing marketing method over the
last two decades. Originally, participating consumers would
prepay the farmer for the produce, thereby providing the
financing to the farmer to operate. While this model is still
used, several CSA models have developed, including paying for
weekly, bimonthly, or monthly box deliveries, discounts for
assisting with planting or harvesting, providing consumers many
different options and flexibility in their produce choices.
Proposed Law: This bill would, among other things, do the
following:
Encourage CDFA to assist in organizing
community-supported agriculture by including CSAs as a form
of direct marketing under Division 17 of the Food and
Agriculture Code.
AB 224 (Gordon)
Page 1
Define "community-supported agriculture program," or CSA
program, to mean a program under which a registered
California direct marketing producer, or a group of
registered California direct marketing producers, grow food
for consumer shareholders or subscribers who pledge to
contract to buy a portion of the future crop, animal
production, or both, of the registered California direct
marketing producer(s).
Define "single-farm" and multi-farm CSA programs, as
specified.
Require that a registered California direct marketing
producer or group comply with the following:
o Register annually with CDFA as either a
single- or multi-farm CSA and declare that produce
will be grown in accordance with good agricultural
practices, as outlined in the small farm food safety
guidelines published by the department.
o Label the farm delivery box with the name and
address of the farm.
o Maintain the consumer boxes in a condition
that prevents contamination.
o Inform consumers of the origin of each item
included in the box.
o Maintain records that document the contents
and origin of all items included in each consumer box.
o Comply with all labeling and identification
requirements for shell eggs and processed foods.
Add registered California direct marketing producers in
good standing and in compliance with these provisions as an
"approved source" of food that conforms with applicable
laws, current public health principles and practices, and
generally recognized industry standards that protect public
health.
Authorizes the Secretary of CDFA to set and collect an
annual registration fee, not to exceed $100, from a
registered California direct marketing producer. These
funds shall be used by the department for administration of
this program, which includes the following:
AB 224 (Gordon)
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o Creation and maintenance of a registration
system.
o Development and publication of periodic small
farm food safety guidelines in consultation with the
Department of Public Health and local health officers.
The guidelines shall include, but not be limited to,
safe production, processing, and handling of both
non-potentially hazardous and potentially hazardous
foods.
o Expenses incurred relative to meetings of any
ad hoc direct marketing advisory committee established
by the secretary.
Staff Comments: This measure, if enacted, would require CDFA to
develop and establish a registration program for CSAs and
clarify and make specific the proposed CSA categories.
Additionally, it would need to establish and maintain the small
farm safety guidelines. CDFA estimates administration costs of
$25,000 annually.
CDFA estimates there to be approximately 350 CSA's; thus the
maximum $100 fee would generate $35,000 to create and maintain a
producer registration program. Revenues generated by this
legislation would be deposited into the Food and Agriculture
Fund and would be sufficient to fund the additional costs
identified above.