Office of Farm to Fork: Healthy Food for California Public Institutions Program

The program is designed to connect schools, public colleges, and government agencies with vendors supplying whole or minimally processed food grown or produced in California. It depends on legislative appropriations and available funding.

What the law does ​

• Requires the Office of Farm to Fork to establish the Healthy Food for California Public Institutions Program when funded by the Legislature.
• Creates an approved-vendor list for food that is whole or minimally processed and grown or produced in California using climate-smart practices.
• Requires vendors to show they can serve public institutions, track farm or ranch sources, keep purchase records, and meet food-safety and other legal requirements.
• Requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to publish approved vendors, their service regions, and contact information online, while selecting vendors across California's regions.
• Requires program-status reports to the Legislature within one year after launch and every three years afterward.

Who it affects ​

• California food vendors, farms, and ranches seeking approval to supply public institutions.
• State, city, and county agencies, local educational agencies, California Community Colleges, and the California State University.
• Public-institution food purchasers using the approved-vendor list.

Context ​

The University of California is excluded from the definition of public postsecondary educational institution for this program.