Public Policy Updates: Hunger in California

Monday, February 10, 2025

Advocating for policies is a major part of being a food bank, though that is not always obvious. The public policies for farmers, grocery stores, and warehouses all affect how a food bank works and what it can take in. Public policy is an ever-changing thing, and FARSB has to adapt to changes in a timely fashion.

With many policies being updated for the new year, we wanted to keep our community aware of the changes being made in California. Here are some of the major updates being made, which have yet to come:

Vetoed Bills

AB 2446

This assembly bill was not passed by the Governor of California. It would have covered the cost of diapers through Medi-Cal benefits for a child older than three who has been diagnosed with a health condition that contributes to incontinence. It would have also covered the cost for anyone under 21 to correct or ameliorate a condition according to federal standards.

AB 1961

This assembly bill was not passed, but would have created the California Master Plan Task Force, tasked with creating tangible goals and action plans for the state concerning food security and ending hunger. The plans would need to be finalized and published by the end of 2027.

Continued or Funded Bills

AB 1577

The CalFood Program funding is set to continue with the guaranteed budget of $8 million. However, the additional funding that has sustained the program is not set to be updated to the proposed amount of $60 million. This cost is to cover the ongoing hunger crisis and the growing needs among Californians.

With the cost of living rising, costs for food are among some of the highest in recent years. The one-time amounts of $112 million for 2022-2025 and $52 million for 2023-2025 will not be renewed, and food banks are asking for $60 million moving forward to meet the growing need. It is not realistic to be able to fund the program needed, especially post-pandemic, with less than what we have been given the past few years.

Farm Bill

The Farm Bill of 2018 has been extended and will continue to support farmers, grocery stores, and food banks that rely on the funding in this bill to support both our food and farming systems, such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). The extension of this bill came later than expected with an additional year-long extension.

School Meals For All

The School Meals For All program has been updated this year with an extension through the 2024-2025 school year. This ensures that all students in public and charter schools are eligible to receive free meals while attending school during regular hours. California remains one of the top states in addressing school meal debt, and this is a major step in the right direction.

Advocacy

As new bills are introduced, support and funding for hunger-relief may be on the line, but advocating for positive changes makes a world of difference to the clients we serve. As the largest food bank in the Inland Empire, we serve over 300,000 households a month. This makes supporting bills that boost our mission essential to our work.

If you'd like to advocate for hunger relief, please visit: FeedingIE.org/Advocate to stay up-to-date on current bills affecting food security in California.