OCFAC Policy Agenda – 2015 ______________________________________________________________________________ OC Food Access supports policies and programs based on their relevance to our mission and support for equitable principles of food security. We are advocates for healthy, affordable and sustainable food for all. We support the below initiatives unless otherwise noted. For more information, contact Christina Hall at 714-‐564-‐9525 or [email protected]. Municipal Recess before Lunch Initiative OCFAC is in the beginning stages of research to understand this issue and make a recommendation on how to move forward. Selling Produce from School Gardens OCFAC is in the beginning stages of research to understand this issue and make a recommendation on how to move forward. Anaheim & Santa Ana School District Wellness Policies OCFAC is participating on the Anaheim and Santa Ana Wellness Committees. In addition, we are part of the Wellness Policy Subcommittee in Santa Ana which is working to complete a re-‐write of their administrative regulations for the schools to follow. County Medi-‐Cal and CalFresh Enrollment There should be a two-‐pronged approach in 2015. This will include continuation of the Healthy Connections pilot and One Stop Enrollment Workgroup to understand the efficiencies and barriers from enrollers participating. In addition, see what kind of state-‐level interest there is in making cross-‐enrollment a goal and standard procedure of Covered California. Centralized Food Security Position Utilization of a current county staff member to be a centralized point of contact on all issues related to food security and food policy. State SSI – No bill number or legislator yet State-‐wide SSI Advocacy Group OCFAC has been participating as a member of a statewide SSI workgroup that will be working on three initiatives: • Raising grant levels to bring all SSI/SSP recipients above the Federal Poverty Level, and eventually above the U.S. Census Bureau Supplemental Poverty Measure. • Providing a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for the state (SSP) portion of the SSI/SSP grant. • Addressing hunger among SSI/SSP recipients, who are ineligible for federal food assistance, in a way that does not harm or reduce the benefits of any SSI/SSP recipient. Revised: 03.31.15 AB 1321 CA Nutrition Incentives Act th
Assembly Member Phil Ting (D-‐San Francisco, 19 District) The federal Farm Bill enacted in 2014 provides $100 million in grants to states for programs that supplement nutrition benefits if they are spent on produce at farmers’ markets. California already has a network in place to draw down these funds through local Market Match programs, which increase the purchase of fresh produce among economically disadvantaged families while helping support small-‐ to mid-‐size farms. This act creates a statewide program to fund the matching grants that will be tied to USDA funds that have been applied for by The Ecology Center in Berkeley. AB 515 – Farm to Family Tax Credit th
Assembly Member Susan Eggman (D -‐13 District) AB 515 broadens the existing state tax credit offered to California agricultural producers for donations to qualified California non-‐profits such as food banks. It expands the list of eligible products to other fresh items and a limited set of core shelf-‐stable items. It also moves the tax credit to 20% of the donated items’ wholesale value, and extends the sunset of this program to 2024. AB 292 – Time to Eat: Lunchtime Supports Learning Assembly Member Miguel Santiago (D -‐Los Angeles) The bill aims to improve student nutrition, support academic achievement, and reduce food waste. When students have enough time to eat a complete lunch at school, they are better able to focus and learn. AB 1240 – Breakfast After the Bell Assembly Member Rob Bonata (D -‐Oakland) & Tony Thurmond (D –Richmond) The bill aims to improve student nutrition, support academic achievement, and reduce food waste. When students have enough time to eat a complete lunch at school, they are better able to focus and learn. Legalize Seed Saving and Seed Banks – SELC is working on this -‐ Watching In 2014, over 300 nonprofit seed libraries were at risk of being shut down due to misapplication of seed laws by
several state departments of agriculture. Legislation is being written that will remove these unnecessary legal
barriers to sharing locally grown and saved seeds.
State Meal Reimbursement – CSNA is working on this -‐ Watching There is a 2.6 million dollar deficit projected for reimbursements in the 2015/16 school year; this is the difference between department of finance and California Department of Ed budgets for next year. Meal participation (the number of meals served) in the state of California increased by 17 million from 2011 to 2014. This affects school budgets for the year -‐ if we are not sure what funding we will receive it makes it hard to start new programs and to keep our existing programs moving forward (This will also be an item looked at for CNR at the Federal Level). Summer EBT – CFPA is working on this -‐ Watching Summer EBT is a demonstration project administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The demonstration provides families with nutrition assistance benefits (on an EBT card) to purchase groceries from supermarkets and other food stores. (This will also be an item looked at on the Federal Level. The expectation is that a bill will be introduced in both houses to make this a national program). Able-‐Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABOD) Waiver -‐ Watching Currently, the ABOD waiver for CA has been revoked and will expire on 12/31/2015. This means that those individuals who fit under its provisions will only remain eligible for SNAP benefits for 3 months in any 36-‐month period of time, creating a difficulty for them financially but also a burden on SSA staff for having to track and process this information. Research is being done to see if the waiver can be extended. Revised: 03.31.15 Federal – Farm Bill Appropriations Continued support to ensure that appropriations are made to Farm Bill programs and policies. Child Nutrition Reauthorization & Farm to School Act of 2015 Due for reauthorization in 2015 – Priorities for the coming reauthorization include building on the many successes achieved by the previous one – continuing to expand the reach of the Afterschool Meal Program, strengthening the Summer Nutrition Programs so they can meet the needs of children and communities when school is out, continuing to support the momentum of school breakfast expansion in every state, and ensuring more children have a healthy start by improving early childhood nutrition programs. H.R.733 SNAP Verify Act -‐ Oppose Representative Matt Salmon (R-‐AZ, 5) To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require households that receive supplemental nutrition assistance benefits to present photographic verification at the time food is purchased with such benefits. Trade Agreements -‐ Watching Trans-‐Pacific Partnership (TPP) & Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) These may become issues for agriculture, Farm to School and food safety in this upcoming year. The largest concern is wording in the agreements that can make buy local programs illegal. As the current negotiations have not been public, it is unknown the impact but the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, farmers rights groups, and organizations like Food and Water Watch, have concerns about them. Revised: 03.31.15