CDFA highlights incentives, refrigeration and farm-to-school spending as tools to link California agriculture with hunger relief

California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross told the Assembly joint oversight hearing that state investments made since the pandemic have created a new layer of infrastructure—warehouse space, refrigerated trucks and expanded mobile options—that make it easier to move fresh produce from farms to communities in need.

"We now have more infrastructure for that than we've ever had before," Secretary Ross said, describing refrigeration and mobile programs that allow small farmers to sell into food banks, school systems and corner stores.

Nut graf: CDFA officials described multiple programs designed to connect growers to local markets and the food safety net: a California Nutrition Incentive Program that leverages federal matching funds to double CalFresh purchasing power at farmers markets and small stores; healthy refrigeration grants for corner stores and mobile markets; a community food hub grant program; an $85 million farm'to'school investment; urban agriculture grants; and an initial tribal food sovereignty pilot.

Program highlights mentioned at the hearing: - California Nutrition Incentive Program / Market Match: CDFA and partners drew down federal funds and state match to expand incentives that double CalFresh purchasing power at participating sites; officials referenced $35 million in recent federal drawdowns and state funding that helps leverage more federal dollars. - Healthy refrigeration and mobile markets: Pilot grants and follow-on rounds funded refrigeration units and energy-efficient mobile trucks for corner stores and mobile markets; CDFA reported the program reached more than 1,500 refrigeration or mobile units in its rounds and was oversubscribed. - Community food hubs: A legislatively created grant program expected to distribute roughly $13 million for aggregation and distribution infrastructure to connect many small farms with institutional buyers. - Farm to School: CDFA credited $85 million in farm-to-school investments that now reach nearly 80 percent of K'12 students in participating districts and expanded to early-childhood centers. - Urban agriculture and tribal programs: CDFA cited about $12 million invested to date in urban agriculture and a new tribal food sovereignty pilot funded at roughly $200,000 in year one for listening sessions prior to grant competitions.

Farmers and hub operators testified about on-the-ground impacts. Veronica Masariegos Anastasio, a Central Coast farmer who operates Brisa Ranch and helped launch a farmer-led food hub, said direct institutional sales to food banks and school systems provided reliable markets that helped farmers expand production and remain in business. "We are losing small farms at a rate of 4 a day," she told the committee, urging more long-term investment in regional aggregation and procurement to keep small producers viable.

Ending: CDFA officials and agricultural partners urged continued state support to leverage federal grants, to expand refrigeration and aggregation infrastructure and to sustain incentive programs that simultaneously reduce hunger and strengthen local farm markets.