AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 22, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 16, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

Introduced by Committee on Agriculture (Assembly Members Soria (Chair), Hadwick (Vice Chair), Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Connolly, Jeff Gonzalez, Irwin, and Ransom)

March 4, 2026

An act to amend Sections 18980, 18981, 19010, 19011, 24744, 24745, 25053, 25055, 25056, 49012, 49013, 49014, 52323, 52324, and 52325 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to food and agriculture, and making an appropriation therefor.

Vote: 2/3   Appropriation: yes   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: yes

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

(1) The California Meat and Poultry Supplemental Inspection Act requires, until January 1, 2027, each person to be licensed before operating a meat processing establishment or a custom livestock slaughterhouse and sets annual license renewal fees for custom livestock slaughterhouses and meat processing establishments. The act, until January 1, 2027, also establishes application fees for initial, and renewal of, licenses for livestock meat inspectors and processing inspectors. The act, until January 1, 2027, imposes a penalty on applicants for renewal who fail to pay the renewal fee by the expiration date of the meat processing establishment, custom livestock slaughterhouse, livestock meat inspector, or processing inspector license and provides for revocation of the license if the applicant fails to pay the renewal fee, plus the penalty, within 90 days of the license’s expiration. The act makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor.

Existing law provides for the regulation, inspection, and licensing of poultry plants and for the regulation and licensing of poultry meat inspectors. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, specifies the license application fees for a new, previously unlicensed poultry plant and for a license application submitted upon change of ownership of an existing, previously licensed poultry plant. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, requires that an application for renewal of a license of a poultry plant, accompanied by a specified renewal fee, be made on or before the expiration of the license.

Existing law, until January 1, 2027, specifies the application fee for a poultry meat inspector license application and the renewal fee of that license. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, imposes a penalty of $25 on applicants for renewal who fail to pay the renewal fee by the expiration date of the license, and provides for revocation of the license if the applicant fails to pay the renewal fee, plus the penalty, within 90 days of the license’s expiration.

This bill would make these licensing fee and inspectors’ fee provisions operative indefinitely. By extending the operation of an existing crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(2) Existing law establishes the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the Department of Food and Agriculture, for purposes of encouraging the purchase and consumption of California fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables by nutrition benefit clients, as defined. Existing law creates the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund to collect matching funds received from a specified federal grant program, if available, and funds from other public and private sources. Existing law requires the program to provide grants upon the deposit of sufficient funds, including from a successful application for federal grant funding, if available, into the account. Existing law provides for the administration of the program and requires, subject to specified federal regulations, the department to award moneys in the account to qualified entities, as defined, for consumer incentive programs, among other things. A violation of the laws governing fruit, nut, and vegetable standards is a crime.

This bill would instead require the program to be administered in a manner designed to maximize eligibility for, and alignment with, relevant federal grant programs supporting nutrition incentives. The bill would specify that a certified mobile farmers’ market, as defined, is a qualified entity eligible to be awarded moneys through the program. By expanding the program to include certified mobile farmers’ markets, the bill would expand the scope of a crime and thereby impose a state-mandated local program.

(3) Existing law, the California Seed Law (the seed law), regulates the shipment, delivery, transport, and sale of agricultural or vegetable seed, as defined, within the state, and the investigation and prosecution of breach of contract or patent infringement claims against farmers for unauthorized possession or use of genetically engineered plants. The seed law is enforced by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture and by county agricultural commissioners and their qualified representatives, as provided. The seed law establishes a subvention program under which the secretary is required to annually apportion $120,000, in aggregate, among counties that choose to participate in the subvention program as a subvention for costs that the counties incur in the enforcement of the seed law. Under the seed law, the provisions that establish and govern participation in the subvention program are inoperative on July 1, 2027, except as specified, and all provisions relating to the subvention program are repealed on January 1, 2031.

This bill would instead make these provisions regarding the seed law inoperative on July 1, 2032, and would repeal them on January 1, 2036.

Under existing law, the moneys collected pursuant to the seed law, including registration fees, assessments, and penalty revenues, are continuously appropriated to the Department of Food and Agriculture to carry out its provisions.

By extending the operation of these subvention provisions, this bill would make an appropriation.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 18980 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

18980.

(a) The application fee for a livestock meat inspector’s license or a processing inspector’s license is one hundred dollars ($100). If an applicant for a license does not take the examination within one year after the date of the receipt of the application by the secretary, the application expires. Reexamination requires the payment of an additional application fee.

(b) Each license shall expire on the last day of the calendar year for which it is issued. The fee shall not be prorated.

SEC. 2.

Section 18981 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

18981.

Application for renewal of a license accompanied by a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) shall be made on or before its expiration. Applicants for renewal of a license who have not paid the renewal fee by the expiration date of the license shall be assessed a twenty-five dollar ($25) penalty. Failure to pay the renewal fee plus the penalty within 90 days of expiration shall cause a revocation of a license.

SEC. 3.

Section 19010 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

19010.

(a) Each person shall, before operating a meat processing establishment or a custom livestock slaughterhouse, file an application accompanied with an application fee, with the secretary for a license to operate the establishment. The application shall be in the form as the secretary may prescribe.

(b) Subject to Section 19011.5, the application fee for a meat processing establishment or a new, previously unlicensed custom livestock slaughterhouse is five hundred dollars ($500) for a license for one year for each establishment that the applicant desires to operate. Each license shall expire on the last day of the calendar year for which it was issued. The fee shall not be prorated.

(c) The fee for a license application submitted upon a change of ownership of an existing, previously licensed custom livestock slaughterhouse shall be based on the number of head of livestock slaughtered by the custom livestock slaughterhouse during the preceding October through September time period, as described in subdivision (a) of Section 19011.

SEC. 4.

Section 19011 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

19011.

(a) Application for renewal of a license accompanied by a renewal fee shall be made on or before its expiration.

(1) Subject to Section 19011.5, the annual renewal fee for a custom livestock slaughterhouse is:

(A) Five hundred dollars ($500) if the plant slaughtered 1,000 or fewer head of livestock during the preceding October through September time period.

(B) Seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) if the plant slaughtered between 1,000 and 5,000 head of livestock during the preceding October through September time period.

(C) One thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) if the plant slaughtered over 5,000 head of livestock during the preceding October through September time period.

(2) Subject to Section 19011.5, the annual renewal fee for a meat reprocessing establishment is five hundred dollars ($500).

(b) Applicants for renewal who have not paid the renewal fee by the expiration date of the license shall be assessed a penalty of 10 percent of the unpaid balance. Failure to pay the renewal fee plus the penalty within 90 days of expiration shall cause a revocation of a license.

SEC. 5.

Section 24744 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

24744.

(a) Subject to Section 24745.5, the application fee for a new, previously unlicensed poultry plant is five hundred dollars ($500) for a license for one year for each poultry plant that the applicant desires to operate.

(b) The fee for a license application submitted upon change of ownership of an existing, previously licensed poultry plant shall be based on the number of poultry slaughtered by the poultry plant during the preceding October through September time period, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 24745.

SEC. 6.

Section 24745 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

24745.

(a) Application for renewal of a license accompanied by a renewal fee shall be made on or before its expiration.

(b) Subject to Section 24745.5, the annual license renewal fee for a poultry plant is:

(1) Five hundred dollars ($500) if the plant slaughtered 10,000 or fewer poultry during the preceding October through September time period.

(2) Seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) if the plant slaughtered between 10,000 and 100,000 poultry during the preceding October through September time period.

(3) One thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) if the plant slaughtered over 100,000 poultry during the preceding October through September time period.

SEC. 7.

Section 25053 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

25053.

The application fee for a license is one hundred dollars ($100).

SEC. 8.

Section 25055 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

25055.

Application for renewal of a license accompanied by a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) shall be made on or before the last day of the calendar year for which the license was issued.

SEC. 9.

Section 25056 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

25056.

Applicants for renewal who have not paid the renewal fee by the expiration date of the license shall be assessed a twenty-five dollar ($25) penalty. Failure to pay the renewal fee plus the penalty within 90 days of expiration shall cause a revocation of a license.

SEC. 10.

Section 49012 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

49012.

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “Consumer incentive program” means a program administered by a qualified entity that increases the purchasing value of a nutrition benefit client’s benefits when the benefits are used to purchase California fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

(b) “Nutrition benefit client” means a person who receives services or payments through any of the following:

(1) California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, as described in Section 123280 of the Health and Safety Code.

(2) CalWORKs program, as described in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(3) CalFresh, as described in Section 18900.2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(4) Implementation of the federal WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-314).

(5) The Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, as described in Section 3007 of Title 7 of the United States Code.

(6) Supplemental Security Income or State Supplementary Payment, as described in Section 1381 and following of Title 42 of the United States Code.

(c) “Qualified entity” means either of the following:

(1) A certified farmers’ market, as described in Section 47004, an association of certified producers, a community-supported agriculture program, as defined in Section 47060, a farm stand, as defined in Section 47050, a certified mobile farmers’ market, as defined in Section 47007, or a nonprofit organization representing a collective or association of certified producers that is authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture to accept federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Chapter 51 (commencing with Section 2011) of Title 7 of the United States Code) benefits from recipient purchasers at a farmers’ market. Certified producers shall be certified by the county agricultural commissioner pursuant to Section 47020.

(2) A small business, as defined in Section 14837 of the Government Code, that sells California grown fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables and that is authorized to accept nutrition benefits from any of the programs listed in paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive, of subdivision (b).

SEC. 11.

Section 49013 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

49013.

(a) The Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Account is hereby created in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund to collect matching funds from the federal Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (7 U.S.C. Sec. 7517), if available, and from other public and private sources, to provide grants under the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program. The Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program shall provide grants upon the deposit of sufficient funds, including from a successful application of federal grant funding, if available, into the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Account.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the department may provide grant funds to a grantee in advance of the expenditure of funds by the grantee for implementation of the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program, instead of in the form of a reimbursement after the expenditure of funds for that program, in an amount equal to or less than 50 percent of the grant amount provided in the grantee’s grant agreement pursuant to subdivision (a) and Section 49014, if both of the following conditions are met:

(1) The grantee has declared an operating budget of no more than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).

(2) The department makes a determination, based upon a request submitted by the grantee declaring hardship, that an advance payment is essential for the effective implementation of the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program by the grantee.

SEC. 12.

Section 49014 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

49014.

The Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program shall be administered in accordance with all of the following:

(a) The Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program shall be administered in a manner designed to maximize eligibility for, and alignment with, relevant federal grant programs supporting nutrition incentives, including programs administered by federal agencies when available.

(b) (1) The Office of Farm to Fork shall establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants in consultation with the United States Department of Agriculture and other interested stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Public Health, State Department of Social Services, organizations with expertise in nutrition benefit programs or consumer incentive programs, small business owners that may qualify as a qualified entity, and certified farmers’ market operators.

(2) The department shall not use more than one-third of the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program funds for consumer incentive programs with qualified entities described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 49012 that are not otherwise qualified pursuant to paragraph (1) of that subdivision.

(c) The department shall give priority in awarding grants to qualified entities based on, but not limited to, the following:

(1) The service of an area of population currently not being served by a consumer incentive program.

(2) The degree of the existence of the following demographic conditions and the character of the communities in which sales of California grown fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables are made to the public by authorized vendors operating in conjunction with a qualified entity:

(A) The number of people who are eligible for, or receiving, nutrition benefit program services.

(B) The prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and other diet-related illnesses.

(C) The availability of access to fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

(3) Demonstrated efficiency in the administration of a consumer incentive program.

SEC. 13.

Section 52323 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

52323.

(a) The department’s cost of carrying out this chapter shall be funded from money that is received by the secretary pursuant to this chapter. The secretary shall also pay annually, in arrears, one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($120,000) to counties as an annual subvention for costs incurred in the enforcement of this chapter. The department’s costs of administering this chapter shall be paid before allocating funds to the counties under this section.

(b) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2032, and, as of January 1, 2036, is repealed.

SEC. 14.

Section 52324 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

52324.

(a) The subvention program under Section 52323 is an optional program available to counties. The subvention to counties under Section 52323 shall be annually apportioned as follows:

(1) At the discretion of the secretary and upon recommendation of the board, counties with no registered seed labelers may annually receive one hundred dollars ($100).

(2) Counties with registered seed labeler operations shall receive subventions based upon enforcement activity generated by the registered seed labeler operations within the county and upon the performance of enforcement activities necessary to carry out this chapter.

(b) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2032, and, as of January 1, 2036, is repealed.

SEC. 15.

Section 52325 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended to read:

52325.

(a) Commissioners of counties that choose to participate in the subvention program shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the secretary, whereby the commissioner agrees to maintain a statewide compliance level, determined by the secretary, on all seed within the county. The cooperative agreement shall be in effect for a five-year period. The amount of the subvention designated to each individual participating county shall be established in a memorandum of understanding between the commissioner and the secretary, in consultation with the board.

(b) The secretary, upon recommendation of the board or upon the secretary’s own initiative, may withhold a portion of the funds designated to a county if that county fails to meet the performance standards established by the secretary and set forth in the cooperative agreement with that county.

(c) The secretary shall provide a written justification to the board for any action taken by the secretary that does not fully implement a recommendation made by the board pursuant to subdivision (b).

(d) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2032, and, as of January 1, 2036, is repealed.

SEC. 16.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.