Market Match funding may end

California’s Market Match program, which gives CalFresh shoppers extra money to buy fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets, could run out of money by early 2027 even though the current allocation was meant to last until June 2028, according to KALW and advocacy groups. The program is administered through the California Nutrition Incentive Program and coordinated statewide by the Berkeley-based Ecology Center. Advocates and some lawmakers are pressing for new money in the 2026-27 state budget after Governor Gavin Newsom’s January budget proposal did not include ongoing support for Market Match. ### How does Market Match work at the farmers market? Market Match provides a dollar-for-dollar incentive for CalFresh shoppers at participating farmers markets and other farm-direct sites, up to site-specific limits, so recipients can buy more California-grown produce. The program operates at roughly 300 locations statewide, according to advocacy and legislative materials, and is overseen by the Ecology Center. (kalw.org) KALW reported that 650,000 people used the benefit last year. Martin Bourque, executive director of the Ecology Center, told the station that usage translated into the equivalent of 50 million servings of fresh food. Assemblymember Damon Connolly, who is backing a budget request for continued funding, said the program in 2025 supported more than 627,000 shoppers at nearly 300 locations. (kalw.org) ### Why is the funding problem showing up now? The current state allocation is scheduled on paper to last until June 2028, but demand has risen enough that the money is expected to be depleted much sooner, by early 2027, according to KALW and multiple advocacy campaigns. Foodwise, the Agricultural Institute of Marin and Save Market Match have all said the program needs action in the current budget cycle to avoid cuts next year. (kalw.org) Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2026-27 budget, released in January, did not include funding to continue Market Match, according to the California Association of Food Banks and advocacy groups. The governor’s May Revision, published May 14, updated the broader state budget outlook, but advocates say lawmakers still need to add a specific appropriation if the program is to continue without interruption. (kalw.org) ### Who says the loss would hit both shoppers and farmers? Martin Bourque told KALW that the program directly expands what CalFresh recipients can buy in fresh produce. He and other advocates have also framed it as a support mechanism for small and mid-sized farmers because the matching dollars are spent at farmers markets and farm stands rather than conventional grocery channels. (cafoodbanks.org) Assemblymember Damon Connolly said in an April 22 budget letter announcement that Market Match “makes fresh, California-grown food more affordable while directing vital funding back into local farming economies.” Capital & Main reported that advocates want the program made more widely available at California markets, arguing current funding has limited expansion. (kalw.org) ### What are lawmakers and advocates asking for? Assemblymember Damon Connolly said he championed a budget letter requesting $50 million for continuous support of Market Match. A Public Now repost of the Assembly Democratic Caucus release said advocates are seeking a permanent, ongoing state budget allocation beginning with the 2026-27 cycle. (connolly.asmdc.org) Advocacy groups including Foodwise and the Save Market Match campaign have been urging Californians to contact state lawmakers ahead of final budget decisions. Their argument is straightforward: without a new appropriation this year, the program’s current money will not cover demand through the date originally projected. (connolly.asmdc.org) ### What happens next in Sacramento? California’s 2026-27 budget process is now moving through negotiations after the May 14 revision from Newsom’s administration. Market Match supporters are trying to secure funding before the state finalizes the budget package in the weeks ahead. Early 2027 is the key date in this fight. If lawmakers do not add money in the current budget cycle, advocates say participating markets could face reductions or the program could stop accepting new matching funds before the original June 2028 horizon. (foodwise.org) (kalw.org) (ebudget.ca.gov)