SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil’s bill that makes California’s Farm to Food Bank Tax Credit permanent, has moved out of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee with unanimous bipartisan support.
“California’s affordability crisis continues to strain families across the state, making it harder for many to access the basics they need,” said Alvarado-Gil, vice-chair of the senate agriculture committee. “(Senate Bill) 353 helps ease that burden by ensuring farmers can keep donating fresh food to food banks without uncertainty.
“By making this credit permanent, we’re supporting both our hardworking farmers and the vulnerable Californians who rely on food banks to feed their families.”
Currently set to expire in 2027, the Farm to Food Bank Tax Credit offers a 15 percent tax incentive to farmers who donate fresh produce and other agricultural products, including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and grains, to local food banks.
The program has been instrumental in getting millions of pounds of fresh food to food banks statewide while reducing food waste from unsellable yet high-quality crops.
According to the California Association of Food Banks, 22 percent of California households, and 27 percent of households with children, struggle to put food on the table. In 2023 alone, the Farm to Food Bank Tax Credit resulted in $8.2 million in food donations, with over $769,000 in tax credits awarded to farmers.
Assemblymember Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) was one of the bill’s co-authors.
Alvarado-Gil blasts governor over refinery closures
Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson) is demanding that Gov. Gavin Newsom stop the devastating refinery closures that she says are crushing working families across California.
“Gov. Newsom’s extreme energy agenda is punishing the very people he claims to fight for,” said Alvarado-Gil. “Middle-class families are being hit hardest — struggling to afford gas, keep their jobs, and put food on the table. His policies are ripping away their livelihoods. If gas prices keep rising, every aspect of daily life will be impacted.”
According to the AAA price tracker, the average cost for a gallon of gas nationally is $3.20 per gallon, while the average in California is $4.86. That statewide figure is up about a nickel from a month ago, but down from $5.15 in May 2024.
The letter to Newsom was authored by state Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares, a Republican who represents the 23rd District. Alvarado-Gil was one of seven legislator’s to co-sign the letter.
Newsom has framed the bill as a crackdown on “greedy” oil companies, according to energyindepth.com, but critics believe the law would drive up costs, reduce supply, and chase investment out of the state.
