Bill > SB18

This bill creates the Food Desert Elimination Grant Program administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture to address food access issues in areas with limited healthy food options. A "food desert" is defined by the USDA as an area with restricted access to affordable and nutritious food. The program will establish a Food Desert Elimination Fund to provide grants to grocery store operators (both large stores over 15,000 square feet and small stores under 15,000 square feet) seeking to open or improve grocery stores in food deserts or areas at risk of becoming food deserts. Grants can cover various expenses including feasibility studies, employee salaries, rent or facility acquisition, capital improvements, equipment purchases, and other eligible costs. The department can collect non-state, federal, and private funds for the program, which will be deposited into a California Equitable Food Access Account. The program can use up to 10% of its funding for technical assistance, and the department is required to report on grant awards to the Legislature by January 1, 2028. The program is contingent on legislative appropriation and will remain in effect until December 31, 2030, aligning with the state's existing Office of Farm to Fork's mission of increasing food access in underserved communities.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB18