BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                  AB 2413
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 14, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

             AB 2413 (John A. Perez) - As Introduced:  February 21, 2014

          Policy Committee:                               
          AgricultureVote:7-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill creates the Office of Farm to Fork within the  
          Department of Food and Agriculture (DFA) to work with various  
          groups and organizations involved in promoting food access, and  
          to increase the amount of agricultural products available to  
          schools and underserved communities in the state; creates a Farm  
          to Fork account in the DFA fund and allows funds deposited in  
          the Farm to Fork account to be used by the Office of Farm to  
          Fork without regard to fiscal year.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor and absorbable incremental costs to DFA in connection with  
            establishment of the Office 
          of Farm to Fork and the Farm to Fork account.

          The current farm to fork program operated by the DFA in  
            connection with the Department of 
          Education and the Department of Public Health has a projected  
            budget of approximately 
          $220,000 in FY 2014-15.  This bill will not have a significant  
            impact to that budget.

           COMMENTS  

          1)  Purpose.   This bill codifies the farm to fork program within  
            DFA, which currently operates via an interagency contract  
            between DFA, the Department of Education (CDE), and the  
            Department of Public Health (DPH).  This bill also creates a  
            Farm to Fork account within DFA to support the Office of Farm  
            to Fork, allowing DFA to leverage local and federal funds in  








                                                                  AB 2413
                                                                  Page  2

            support of Farm to Fork program efforts.

          2)  Farm to Fork.   The term "Farm to Fork" generally encompasses  
            efforts to expand access to local or regionally produced  
            foods.  Throughout California, Farm to Fork efforts take the  
            form of farmers' markets, local food programs for schools,  
            community supported and urban agriculture, and other venues  
            that allow people to buy food directly from growers. 

            Within state government, there are several different agencies  
            with initiatives contributing to the greater Farm to Fork  
            movement, including:

             a)   DFA efforts to promote local foods and community  
               supported agriculture through farmers' markets, farm to  
               school programs, and community fresh foods networks.

             b)   The Department of Education's farm to school programs  
               that connect schools with local farms with the intention of  
               promoting healthier meals in school cafeterias, improving  
               student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education  
               opportunities, and supporting local small farmers.

             c)   The Department of Public Health's programs dedicated to  
               promoting local fruits and vegetables in an effort to help  
               Californians eat healthier.  These programs include  
               children-focused campaigns to promote exercise and  
               increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and local  
               food and nutrition education programs.

            By creating the Office of Farm to Fork within DFA, the author  
            hopes to stimulate and streamline further Farm to Fork efforts  
            by coordinating local, state, and federal agencies and  
            leveraging a broader pool of potential funding.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Joel Tashjian / APPR. / (916) 319-2081