Stephen Gordon is explaining what the Local Food Purchase Assistance program means to his Cadena Farm in Esparto, which is in the Assemblymember’s district.
"It’s been incredibly important on a local level to even get our fruit or our products anywhere near our local schools. "
He’s talking about the LFPA program, which uses federal funds to buy food directly from local and underserved producers.
But the Trump administration canceled the program and cut over a billion dollars nationwide that many schools and food banks relied on to buy local food.
Jamie Fanous with Community Alliance with Family Farmers says LFPA funds run out in June, and that 45 million dollars in state funding would keep it going for two more years.
"We’re seeing contracts end. We’re seeing farmers already start to feel the pain of this money not coming in."
But Aguiar-Curry says the state’s budget outlook makes new spending difficult.
"Although the budget looks like it’s getting rosier, the fact of the matter is it’s not… My goal right now is to keep everybody level."
Several California small farmers and advocates also attended an Assembly budget subcommittee hearing yesterday, urging lawmakers to fund the program.