AB 2778: Food and agriculture.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)The California Meat and Poultry Supplemental Inspection Act requires, until January 1, 2027, each person to be licensed before operating a meat processing establishment or a custom livestock slaughterhouse and sets annual license renewal fees for custom livestock slaughterhouses and meat processing establishments. The act, until January 1, 2027, also establishes application fees for initial, and renewal of, licenses for livestock meat inspectors and processing inspectors. The act, until January 1, 2027, imposes a penalty on applicants for renewal who fail to pay the renewal fee by the expiration date of the meat processing establishment, custom livestock slaughterhouse, livestock meat inspector, or processing inspector license and provides for revocation of the license if the applicant fails to pay the renewal fee, plus the penalty, within 90 days of the license’s expiration. The act makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor.

Existing law provides for the regulation, inspection, and licensing of poultry plants and for the regulation and licensing of poultry meat inspectors. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, specifies the license application fees for a new, previously unlicensed poultry plant and for a license application submitted upon change of ownership of an existing, previously licensed poultry plant. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, requires that an application for renewal of a license of a poultry plant, accompanied by a specified renewal fee, be made on or before the expiration of the license.

Existing law, until January 1, 2027, specifies the application fee for a poultry meat inspector license application and the renewal fee of that license. Existing law, until January 1, 2027, imposes a penalty of $25 on applicants for renewal who fail to pay the renewal fee by the expiration date of the license, and provides for revocation of the license if the applicant fails to pay the renewal fee, plus the penalty, within 90 days of the license’s expiration.

This bill would make these licensing fee and inspectors’ fee provisions operative indefinitely. By extending the operation of an existing crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(2)Existing law establishes the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program administered by the Office of Farm to Fork in the Department of Food and Agriculture, for purposes of encouraging the purchase and consumption of California fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables by nutrition benefit clients, as defined. Existing law creates the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund to collect matching funds received from a specified federal grant program, if available, and funds from other public and private sources. Existing law requires the program to provide grants upon the deposit of sufficient funds, including from a successful application for federal grant funding, if available, into the account. Existing law provides for the administration of the program and requires, subject to specified federal regulations, the department to award moneys in the account to qualified entities, as defined, for consumer incentive programs, among other things. A violation of the laws governing fruit, nut, and vegetable standards is a crime.

This bill would instead require the program to be administered in a manner designed to maximize eligibility for, and alignment with, relevant federal grant programs supporting nutrition incentives. The bill would specify that a certified mobile farmers’ market, as defined, is a qualified entity eligible to be awarded moneys through the program. By expanding the program to include certified mobile farmers’ markets, the bill would expand the scope of a crime and thereby impose a state-mandated local program.

Sponsors

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 31, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 174, Statutes of 2026.
2. August 31, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 20, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 13, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 6155.).
5. August 11, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. August 10, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 5324.).
7. August 4, 2026Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
8. August 3, 2026From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.
9. June 30, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. June 22, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on AGRI.
11. June 11, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
12. May 20, 2026Referred to Com. on AGRI.