Federal Legislative Update: President Signs Spending Package with FY2012 Agriculture Appropriations
As many of you know, earlier this year the House passed an FY2012 Agriculture appropriations bill that made significant cuts to federal nutrition programs, while the Senate passed significantly higher appropriations for these programs. Negotiations on the Agriculture appropriations were then taken up in conference between the House and Senate as part of a larger spending package.
On Monday, November 14 the House and Senate Appropriations conference released a set of spending bills for FY2012 that included funding for Agriculture programs, as well as a Continuing Resolution to keep other government programs funded through December 16 and avoid a government shutdown. The spending "minibus" package passed the House and Senate on Thursday and was signed by President Obama on Friday.
Overall, the final outcomes of the FY2012 Agriculture appropriations are very positive. Federal nutrition programs were funded at levels far higher than what the House passed, and in some cases even higher than the original Senate appropriations. For a summary of appropriations, please view the FRAC analysis.
School Meal Standards: Although the overall FY 2012 Agriculture appropriations package is very positive, the bill does contain some unfortunate report language making some limitations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's authority in the final rule they will be issuing regarding school meal improvement. Specifically, the USDA's rule will not be allowed to include the Institute of Medicine's recommendations to limit potatoes and other starchy vegetables, or to make changes regarding tomato paste intended to prevent pizza from being counted as a serving of vegetables. The USDA will still be able to move forward in issuing rules to improve school meal quality, but this report language is a troubling move towards the whims of Congress, rather than scientific research, determining nutrition guidelines for school meals.
State Legislative Update: Governor Brown Signs Bills to Improve Food Security in California
Governor Brown has signed a number of bills that will help improve access to the CalFresh (Food Stamp) program and reduce hunger in California. Anti-hunger advocates have much to celebrate this year, as legislation signed by the Governor will finally end fingerprint imaging in the CalFresh (Food Stamp) program — a change many of you have championed for almost a decade.
Governor Brown also signed AB 152, the bill CAFB sponsored to create a tax credit for crop donations and the framework for a state emergency food assistance program. A summary of hunger-related bills signed by Governor Brown is listed below.
Bills Signed by Governor Brown:
AB 6 (Fuentes) - ends fingerprint imaging in CalFresh (Food Stamps); moves CalFresh (Food Stamps) and CalWORKs from quarterly to simplified semi-annual reporting; creates "heat & eat" initiative to streamline paperwork and increase benefits for a significant number of households.
AB 69 (Beall) - allows counties to utilize Social Security information to facilitate and streamline senior enrollment in CalFresh (Food Stamps). This bill was sponsored by Santa Clara County Assembly Member Jim Beall.
AB 152 (Fuentes) - creates a tax credit for fresh fruits and vegetables donated by California growers to California food banks; creates the framework for a state emergency food assistance program.
AB 402 (Skinner) - authorizes school districts to work with county social services agencies to develop a fast track from a free or reduced-price school meal program application to a CalFresh (Food Stamp) program application.
AB 581 (Pérez) - creates the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative to expand access to healthy foods in underserved communities.
AB 959 (Jones) - aligns CalWORKs reporting requirements with CalFresh (Food Stamps) and Medi-Cal by allowing aid to be reinstated if a report is submitted within 30 days of the due date.
SB 43 (Liu) - removes mandatory employment and training requirements in the CalFresh (Food Stamp) program when the state or sub-region is federally determined to have a work surplus (high unemployment).
Source: California Association of Food Banks, 10/10/2011
Contact Cindy McCown with any questions at cmccown@shfb.org or (408) 694-0018.
Thank you to our local representatives!
- Asm. Jim Beall
- Asm. Luis Alejo
- Asm. Nora Campos
- Asm. Paul Fong
- Asm. Jerry Hill
- Asm. Rich Gordon
- Asm. Fiona Ma
- Asm. Bill Monning
- Asm. Bill Wieckowski
- Sen. Elaine Alquist
- Sen. Ellen Corbett
- Sen. Joe Simitian
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