AB-675
Agriculture & Food

Office of Farm to Fork: California Farm to School Program.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
0
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Establishes a new Farm to School Program to connect California schools with local food producers.
  • Requires schools to increase procurement of locally grown and minimally processed foods for meal programs.
  • Creates hands-on food education programs connecting classrooms with cafeterias through gardens and culinary classes.
  • Establishes a grant program and dedicated fund to support farm-to-school initiatives.

Summary

Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry's proposal to establish the California Farm to School Program aims to forge stronger connections between local agriculture and school food systems through a new initiative administered by the Office of Farm to Fork. The program would create pathways for schools to procure more California-grown whole and minimally processed foods while expanding hands-on food education opportunities for students.

The legislation outlines several key components for implementation. Schools would incorporate more locally sourced ingredients into their meal programs while students would engage in educational activities through school gardens, farm visits, culinary classes, and other experiential learning opportunities. The Office of Farm to Fork would facilitate relationships between food producers and school personnel, providing resources on agricultural best practices, food safety certification, and insurance requirements. The office would also oversee a new Farm to School Incubator Grant Program to support these efforts.

To fund these activities, the bill creates the Farm to School Account within the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. This account would collect and distribute funds from federal, state, industry, philanthropic, and private sources, subject to legislative appropriation. The Department of Food and Agriculture would develop regulations to guide program implementation and administration.

The proposal builds upon the Office of Farm to Fork's existing work with agricultural industry partners and food access organizations. Through the new interagency working group, the program would coordinate efforts across departments to integrate local agriculture into school communities through both procurement and education channels.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture
Hearing scheduled for , State Capitol, Room 126
Read first time. To print.
Assembly Floor
Read first time. To print.
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Jacqui IrwinD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
Assembly Member
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Damon ConnollyD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Esmeralda SoriaD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 8 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Jacqui IrwinD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
Assembly Member
Bill Author
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Damon ConnollyD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Esmeralda SoriaD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Jeff GonzalezR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Rhodesia RansomD
Assembly Member
Committee Member

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
California State Assembly Member
10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/14/2025)

Key Takeaways

  • Establishes a new Farm to School Program to connect California schools with local food producers.
  • Requires schools to increase procurement of locally grown and minimally processed foods for meal programs.
  • Creates hands-on food education programs connecting classrooms with cafeterias through gardens and culinary classes.
  • Establishes a grant program and dedicated fund to support farm-to-school initiatives.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
California State Assembly Member

Summary

Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry's proposal to establish the California Farm to School Program aims to forge stronger connections between local agriculture and school food systems through a new initiative administered by the Office of Farm to Fork. The program would create pathways for schools to procure more California-grown whole and minimally processed foods while expanding hands-on food education opportunities for students.

The legislation outlines several key components for implementation. Schools would incorporate more locally sourced ingredients into their meal programs while students would engage in educational activities through school gardens, farm visits, culinary classes, and other experiential learning opportunities. The Office of Farm to Fork would facilitate relationships between food producers and school personnel, providing resources on agricultural best practices, food safety certification, and insurance requirements. The office would also oversee a new Farm to School Incubator Grant Program to support these efforts.

To fund these activities, the bill creates the Farm to School Account within the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund. This account would collect and distribute funds from federal, state, industry, philanthropic, and private sources, subject to legislative appropriation. The Department of Food and Agriculture would develop regulations to guide program implementation and administration.

The proposal builds upon the Office of Farm to Fork's existing work with agricultural industry partners and food access organizations. Through the new interagency working group, the program would coordinate efforts across departments to integrate local agriculture into school communities through both procurement and education channels.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/14/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture
Hearing scheduled for , State Capitol, Room 126
Read first time. To print.
Assembly Floor
Read first time. To print.
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Jacqui IrwinD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
Assembly Member
Bill Author
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Damon ConnollyD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Esmeralda SoriaD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 8 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 2
Select All Legislators
Profile
Jacqui IrwinD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Cecilia Aguiar-CurryD
Assembly Member
Bill Author
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Damon ConnollyD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Esmeralda SoriaD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Jeff GonzalezR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Rhodesia RansomD
Assembly Member
Committee Member