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Assembly panel unanimously advances bill to enshrine Farm to School program in state law
Summary
AB 675 would codify California’s Farm to School program to provide statutory stability for local procurement of California-grown food and farm-based education. Supporters said the program connects students with healthy food, benefits small farmers and leverages state meal funding. The committee passed the bill to Appropriations.
Majority Leader Agra Curry introduced AB 675 to codify the California Farm to School program into state law. Curry and witnesses told the committee that the program connects students with locally sourced food, supports stable markets for small and sustainable farmers, and provides hands-on agricultural and culinary education for students.
Why it matters: Supporters said the program serves high-need school communities, helps direct school-meal spending toward local farmers and strengthens local food systems. Witnesses noted recent federal funding uncertainty for similar programs and framed codification as a way to provide program stability for schools and farmers.
Details and testimony
Witnesses from the Center for Ecoliteracy and Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAF) described program successes: increased participation from Title I schools, local procurement relationships that helped sustain small farms and examples of districts using dedicated coordinators to connect farmers and school food-service staff. Testimony included economic estimates that local procurement and farm-to-school activities generate local economic activity and can prevent some small farms from going out of business.
Support and vote
A broad set of nonprofit and local-government organizations registered support in the hearing. The committee voted to move AB 675 to the Appropriations Committee; the clerk reported the bill had eight votes in favor when the tally was taken.
Ending
AB 675 now goes to Appropriations, where staff and the author will address any fiscal and implementation details needed to codify and fund the program.
