We, the undersigned residents of California, hereby present this petition to urge Governor Newsom and California Legislators to preserve $35M in funding for the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) which funds Market Match in the 2024/25 state budget. Market Match provides a dollar-for-dollar match on CalFresh spend at Farm-direct sites across the state.

If cut, it would end the program and take away 114 million servings of fruits and vegetables from low-income Californians, and approximately $19.5 million from California small farmers.

Market March helps people like Stephanie afford healthy fresh produce while supporting California Farmers: 

“I am one of the 500,000 low-income Californians who rely on the Market Match program to afford fresh produce. Without Market Match, I would not be able to buy fresh fruits and veggies every week. With rising food costs, I spend so much on pantry staples, there is little left for produce.” 
 -Stephanie F., Market Match Participant

The Market Match program is also an economic support for hundreds of California small farmers. Over the past 15 years, Market Match has grown to become a food safety net and economic stimulator for California. Today this program is offered at 293 farm-direct outlets across the state in 39 California counties.

We join a large network of grassroots organizers in calling on Governor Newsom and California State Legislators to keep the $35 million funding for Market Match in the California 2024/25 State Budget to sustain the program beyond 2024.