State Adds $23 Million to Help CalFresh, WIC, and Seniors Buy Farm-Fresh Food at Markets

SACRAMENTO —  Gov. Newsom March 12 announced, through the California Department of Food and Agriculture or CDFA office of farm to fork, California is connecting locally grown food to eligible residents who qualify for benefits through the CalFresh, Women Infants and Children (WIC), and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs. 

The state’s investments empower eligible Californians to increase their consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. CalFresh shoppers can benefit from the program by spending their benefits at participating Certified Farmers Markets throughout the state and other retail outlets. For every dollar spent by eligible Californians, they will receive an additional dollar that can be spent on fruits and vegetables at the market or retail outlet, within set parameters, increasing their ability to purchase and consume healthy, produce for themselves and their families. The projects will also support California’s farming communities selling at participating markets. 

California is distributing about $21.5 million to increase the purchase of California-grown fresh produce by CalFresh shoppers at 12 projects across the state. Current nutrition incentives support CalFresh shoppers at more than 280 locations throughout California.

Awards will allow grantees to sustain incentive distributions and benefit the farmers and shoppers participating in the program at 303 participating certified farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture programs, mobile markets and small retailers across California through spring 2027. The 12 grantees range in location, size and operations.

An additional 11 projects will receive $1,700,000 in total grant awards from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program or WIC FMNP and the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program or SFMNP.

10 of the grantees will distribute nutrition incentives and provide technical support at 121 Certified Farmers’ Markets in the following 19 counties across California A detailed list of grantees and project descriptions for the 2026 CNIP Expansion Grant is available on the CNIP webpage.
CNIP is administered by CDFA’s Office of Farm to Fork, which leads CDFA’s food access work.