For Media Inquires, please email us at resilientfoodsystem@gmail.com.
Media Coverage
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Battle over climate and flood bonds will stretch into 2024
AgriPulse — July 19, 2023
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California Assembly Passes Climate-Resilient Food & Farming Bill
NRDC Blog — June 1, 2023 (Photo credit: Alicia Arcidiacono/Chasing Chickadees Photography)
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Sacramento Lobby Week Garners Broad Support for Food and Farm Investments
CalCAN Blog — May 3, 2023
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Wilson-authored ballot bond clears second committee’s scrutiny
Daily Republic — April 12, 2023
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California Assembly Natural Resources Committee Gives Green Light to AB 408
Press Release — April 11, 2023
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Several climate and flood bonds are competing for ballot slots. Will the Central Valley be overlooked?
AgriPulse — April 5, 2023
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Food and Farm Resilience Bond AB 408 (Wilson) passes Assembly Agriculture Committee
CalCAN Blog — March 30, 2023
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How California can create a more equitable food system
CalMatters — June 8, 2021
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It’s critical that governor offer essential protection for essential farmworkers
Modesto Bee — May 31, 2021
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Proposed bond legislation clears Assembly Ag Committee
Davis Enterprise — April 18, 2021
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AB 125 Receiving Support from Multiple Farm Groups
AgNet West — April 7, 2021
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Agriculture groups unite in support of legislation
Morning Ag Clips — March 31, 2021
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Food and ag bond proposal would boost the field-to-food bank supply chain
Agri-Pulse — March 24, 2021
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Proposed bond measure seeks to improve state’s food system
Morgan Hill Times — March 16, 2021
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Climate, Agriculture Targeted in $3 Billion California Bond Bill
Bloomberg Law — March 16, 2021
Past Food and Farm Resilience Campaigns
2022, AB 2499 — Creates an Organic Transition Program that would support low-resource and socially-disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in transitioning to certified organic production with grants and technical support. The program would be funded by the $15 million for organic transition that our coalition is asking for in the budget.
2022, AB 2538 — Creates a notification system that would send text and voice messages, in multiple languages, to residents and farmworkers to alert them of wildfire smoke health hazards in their area.
2022-23 Budget
California has another huge budget surplus, and we continue to raise our collective voices about the need for more investments in healthy, just and resilient farms, climate-friendly healthy food access, and farmworker health and safety. In February, more than 50 organizations signed on to a letter calling for more than $660 million in this year’s budget. You can read the full letter here, and see the impressive list of supporters.
We also worked with Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister, Chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee) to encourage 12 legislators to sign on to a “Dear Colleague” letter calling for $423.5 million for many similar priorities (see the letter here).
Here is a sample of what was on the list:
Farmland Conservation: $100 million for farmland conservation + $500,000 to develop a process for consultation with Tribes on farmland conservation and right of first refusal + $25 million for land access for BIPOC farmers and beginning farmers
Farmworker Housing and Emergency Notification: $25 million for home weatherization + $100 million for new housing + $12 million for heat and smoke notifications for farmworkers
Workforce Development: $30 million to hire and train the next generation of agricultural professionals proficient in climate resilience + $15 million for new farmer training
Climate Smart Agriculture: $170 million for healthy soils, water conservation and pollinator habitat grant programs
Climate-Friendly Healthy Food Access Infrastructure: $100 million for low-income communities of color, rural, and Tribal communities to obtain or produce healthy, nutrient-dense foods that are grown, raised, produced, or gathered with certified organic, climate-friendly, or culturally relevant practices
Farm-to-School: $33 million for grants for healthy food school infrastructure and personnel
2021-22 Budget
With leadership from Assemblymember R. Rivas, a bipartisan group of Assemblymembers, and over 160 organizations, we were able to secure $1.3 billion to help transition California’s food and farming system toward one that is more climate-resilient, just, and equitable. You can read more about this victory on the website of one of our coalition members here.