BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1321
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
1321 (Ting)
As Amended August 31, 2015
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | |(June 3, 2015) |SENATE: | 30-8 |(September 2, |
| |61-16 | | | |2015) |
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Original Committee Reference: AGRI.
SUMMARY: Establishes the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant
(NIMG) Program in the Office of Farm to Fork (OF2F), creates a
NIMG account and requires OF2F to establish minimum standards,
funding schedules and grant procedures for the NIMG program.
This bill directs the OF2F to solicit grant proposals, score,
and award grant funds as specified, and establish standards,
funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants in
consultation with the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA). This bill also establishes standards for prioritizing
grants within the state.
The Senate amendments:
1)Change the funding structure of the NIMG program by removing
the requirement for appropriations in the annual Budget Act.
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2)Clarify that state grants are only to be administered upon
receipt of sufficient federal funds.
3)Make technical changes.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP), formerly the food stamp program, administered by USDA,
which imposes specified rules on specified program
participants and limits benefits based on those rules.
2)Establishes state grants for programs that supplement
nutrition benefits that are spent on products at farmers'
markets, based upon specified criteria.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, CDFA indicates that the bill could ultimately result
in annual General Fund costs potentially reaching the low
millions of dollars (special fund), some of which could be
offset by federal funds. However, the department would not be
authorized to operate the program if sufficient funds have not
been appropriated.
COMMENTS: The California Market Match (MM) program was launched
in 2009 to encourage low-income families receiving benefits
through SNAP to purchase fresh, locally-grown fruits and
vegetables at farmers' markets. The program "matches" or
doubles the amount of benefits these families can spend and has
expanded operations to over 150 farmers' markets across
California and increased the spending power of 37,000 families.
According to the author, strong demand for MM often outstrips
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available funding for the program. The 2014 federal Farm Bill
included $100 million in grant funding for programs such as MM
that incentivize healthier eating amongst SNAP recipients. In
order to best position local programs to receive these federal
grants, this bill creates a state NIMG program to apply for
federal funds and award them to local MM programs with a proven
record of success. Establishing a state framework to oversee
funding of MM programs would leverage state resources to
streamline local program administration, and expand MM programs
across a more equitable cross-section of communities that lack
access to fresh produce.
One of the co-sponsors of this bill, Roots of Change, explained
how they used $1.9 million in CDFA Specialty Crop Block Grant
money, and nearly $300,000 in philanthropic funds from 2009 to
2013, to create the California MM pilot program. The MM pilot
program has expanded market opportunities for specialty crop
farmers. Supporters state that community-based partners
operated in 23 counties to implement MM programs in 150 markets
in 2014. Currently, the incentive match funds used to increase
purchasing power are derived from philanthropic sources only and
are therefore limited in scope. Supporters state the goal of
this bill is to assist the state in leveraging federal dollars
to increase specialty crop sales among low-income Californians.
The author states that California is uniquely positioned to
benefit from greater proliferation of programs such as MM.
California grows over 400 commodities and produces nearly half
of the United States' grown fruits, nuts and vegetables. There
are approximately 700 certified Farmers' Markets and 2,200
certified producers in California. Furthermore, the author
stresses that California has a persistent poverty problem to
solve. 24% of Californians live in poverty and is ranked 50th
in the rate of participation in SNAP. Scaling up MM programs
would create an incentive for more families to utilize their
SNAP benefits and ensure more Californians can afford to eat
what is grown locally.
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There is no opposition on file.
This bill is substantially similar to the version passed by the
Assembly.
Analysis Prepared by:
Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084 FN:
0001704