Farmers’ Market Infrastructure Grant Program

The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 was approved by California voters as Proposition 4 in the November 2024 general election. Through the bill, $20 million dollars is now available to develop year-round infrastructure for certified farmers’ markets, as defined in Section 47004 of the Food and Agricultural Code, fishermen’s markets, as defined in Section 113780 of the Health and Safety Code, or tribe-operated or native-serving farmers’ markets, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

1. All-weather infrastructure such as canopies and shade structures, tables and seating, market stalls, restrooms and hand wash stations, tent weights and tie-downs, produce washing stations, barricades and bollards for traffic management and pedestrian safety, bicycle parking racks, and other equipment.
2. Facilities for food preparation, cooking demonstrations, and other nutrition education.
3. Wireless electronic benefits transfer point-of-sale terminals for market managers and producers to process CalFresh transactions.
4. Wireless electronic benefits transfer point-of-sale terminals for producers to accept the electronic cash value benefit through the program designed to implement the federal WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-314) pursuant to Section 123279 of the Health and Safety Code, or equivalent tribal programs.
5. Other equipment to support the seniors farmers’ market nutrition program, as described in Section 3007 of Title 7 of the United States Code, or equivalent tribal programs.

The Farmers’ Market Infrastructure Grant Program is currently in development.