Bill Text: CA AB38 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 38 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: The Office of Farm to Fork.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-03 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB38 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB38-Amended.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 38	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 19, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member John A. P�rez

                        DECEMBER 3, 2012

   An act  to add Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 49000) to
Division 17 of the Food and Agricultural Code,  relating to food
and  agriculture.   agriculture, and making an
app   ropriation therefor. 



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 38, as amended, John A. P�rez. The  California Food,
Farms, and Jobs Act.   Office of Farm to Fork. 
   Existing law establishes the Department of Food and Agriculture,
which is tasked with, among other things, promoting and protecting
the agricultural industry of the state, and seeking, enhancing,
protecting, and perpetuating the ability of the private sector to
produce food and fiber in a way that benefits the general welfare and
economy of the state. Existing law also establishes the California
Healthy Food Financing Initiative for the purpose of promoting
healthy food access in the state.
   This bill would  express the intent of the Legislature to
enact legislation that would establish the California Food, Farms,
and Jobs Act, for the purpose of improving state programs that
support local and regional farm and food system infrastructure,
expanding access to healthy foods for consumers, and creating new job
growth and economic development through increasing the number of
direct and retail markets.   create the Office of Farm
to Fork within the department to, among other things, work with
various entities, including, among others, the agricultural industry
and other organizations involved in promoting food access, to
increase the amount of agricultural products available to schools and
underserved communities in the state. The bill would create the Farm
to Fork Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund that
would consist of money made available from federal, state, industry,
and other sources, and would continuously appropriate the m 
 oney deposited in the account without regard to fiscal years to
carry out the purposes of the Office of Farm to Fork. By creating a
continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation:  no   yes
 . Fiscal committee:  no   yes  .
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Chapter 12 (commencing with Section
49000) is added to Division 17 of the   Food and
Agricultural Code   , to read:  
      CHAPTER 12.  OFFICE OF FARM TO FORK


   49000.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
   (a) There are many people in California who lack adequate access
to healthy food.
   (b) The lack of access to healthy food falls disproportionately on
disadvantaged communities.
   (c) These same communities also suffer from an increased rate of
obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions related to
poor diet.
   (d) Facilitating access to healthy food in these communities is
needed to address the gaps in the food distribution system and help
mitigate the health consequences of this inadequacy.
   (e) There are many county, state, federal, and private
organizations attempting to address this issue, but there is no
state-level body charged with coordinating these activities.
   (f) A state-level office, charged with coordinating and
facilitating food access, can increase the effectiveness of ongoing
programs and ensure that efforts and funding are not duplicated.
   (g) The Department of Food and Agriculture is uniquely situated to
house this office because of the department's knowledge of the
agricultural industry, and its ability to bring farmers together with
schools, community organizations, and others to increase the
availability of healthy food.
   49001.  There is hereby created in the department the Office of
Farm to Fork. This office shall work with the agricultural industry,
direct marketing organizations, food policy councils, public health
groups, schools, district agricultural associations, county, state,
and federal agencies, and other organizations involved in promoting
food access to increase the amount of agricultural products available
to schools and underserved communities in this state.
   49002.  (a) There is hereby created the Farm to Fork Account in
the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund that shall consist of
money made available from federal, state, industry, and other
sources.
   (b) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, all
money deposited in the Farm to Fork Account is hereby continuously
appropriated to the department without regard to fiscal years to
carry out the purposes of this chapter.  
  SECTION 1.    It is the intent of the Legislature
that would enact legislation to establish the California Food, Farms,
and Jobs Act, which would improve state programs that support local
and regional farm and food system infrastructure, expand access to
healthy foods for consumers, and create new job growth and economic
development through increasing the number of direct and retail
markets.