Market Match, a statewide CalFresh program that matches dollars spent at farmers markets up to $15 per visit, is at risk
A program that thousands of low-income San Francisco residents rely on to access healthy fruits and vegetables is under threat as Gov. Gavin Newsom attempts to close the state’s budget deficit. Market Match, which matches every dollar spent on fresh produce at participating farmers markets by recipients of CalFresh benefits, has been cut in Newsom’s latest state budget proposal.
Advocates are concerned about how the loss would affect those who rely on Market Match to stretch their benefits through CalFresh, which is California’s implementation of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. Curtis Bradford, a community organizer at the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, said that the program to support farmers markets might seem like a “luxury” in other parts of the state or in The City, but it’s critical for the residents of the Tenderloin. “We are kind of an outlying case that’s different than the rest of the state,” he said. “It’s a vital service. It’s not something that we can afford to have cut.” Currently, Market Match operates at slightly fewer than 300 sites around the state, according to Martin Bourque, the executive director of Ecology Center, which operates the program. Sites in San Francisco include the Fillmore, Castro, Inner Sunset, Divisadero and Civic Center neighborhoods. Heart of The City, the Civic Center farmers market, serves Tenderloin residents. Borque said it’s the largest recipient of Market Match funding in San Francisco, which is the largest county recipient in the state. The Tenderloin is already considered a food desert, with few options available to buy fresh produce for residents — many of whom are older and low-income. The neighborhood has the highest concentration of children in The City, along with a large population of seniors and people with disabilities, according to a 2024 report by the San Francisco Planning Department. Families with young children make up 62% of of SNAP recipients, according to a 2024 analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. As of fiscal year 2023, 79% SNAP households included either a child, an elderly individual, or a nonelderly individual with a disability, according to a U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture report. Market Match was created 15 years ago. It’s funded through the California Nutrition Incentive Program, which was spearheaded by former Assemblymember Phil Ting of San Francisco. CalFresh recipients can use it to match their purchases at farmers’ markets for up to $15. “It’s $30 a month of extra food for our seniors and our low-income immigrant families,” Bradford said. “$30 doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you’re living on , $30 in food is a lot.” Steve Pulliam, the executive director of the market, told The Examiner in a previous interview that the market distributed $2.7 million in CalFresh dollars and more than $2 million in Market Match dollars in 2025 through November. While it’s difficult to track, the market served 21,000 unique customers in 2023, Pulliam said. Bourque told The Examiner that statewide, the program saw 650,000 visits last year and saw a combined Market Match and CalFresh revenue of $25 million — the equivalent of 50 million servings of fresh fruit and vegetables. The program was also under threat two years ago when Newsom proposed cutting $33 million of the $35 million dedicated to the California Nutrition Incentive Program. At the time, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution urging the state to restore the funds. The subsequent state budget ultimately included the program. District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who represents neighborhoods including the Tenderloin, told The Examiner he plans to introduce a similar resolution to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. “We are urging the governor to include it in this coming fiscal year, because of seeing firsthand how reliant our community is on it,” Mahmood said. Ex // Top Stories Bay Bridge lights are returning — and businesses are beaming After a three-year hiatus, SF waterfront will have finally “got its sparkle back” as of March 20 Steyer pushes harder line on AI limits In an interview with The Examiner, the gubernatorial candidate indicates he’d be much more open to regulating artificial intelligence than Gov. Gavin Newsom Local experts: Ruling on federal vaccine policies is a win for science A federal judge struck down recommendations made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, producing a bittersweet victory for infectious-disease specialists The currently proposed 2026-27 state budget omits funding for the program. Without it, Market Match funds would run out by next year, according to the Save Market Match coalition. The potential loss in state funding comes after Congress passed substantial SNAP cuts in 2025, reducing benefits for an estimated 444,000 Californians, according to a statement the coalition released in January. The coalition aims to preserve and expand the program, calling for $50 million in annual funding and a goal to increase the match from $15 to $20. Advocates are also calling for the funding to be consistent to avoid the risk of cuts every budget cycle.Bourque said there is insufficient funding to include all of the markets that wish to participate in Market Match.Compared with the rest of the state’s budget, advocates are asking for “crumbs,” Bradford said.Ting, who championed Market Match, was termed out of office in 2024. Assemblymember Matt Haney spoke in support of Market Match last time it was on the chopping block — but Annie Keys, a spokesperson for Haney’s office, told The Examiner on Monday the issue was not something currently on its radar. Bradford said that he plans to reach out to Haney and state Sen. Scott Wiener’s office about the program. Wiener’s office had not responded to The Examiner’s request for comment as of press time. Beyond how it would affect residents, Bradford also expressed concern about how the program’s loss would affect farmers. “It seems very possible that the farmers market will not be viable without Market Match,” he said. “The farmers who come here to sell in the Tenderloin and serve the folks in the neighborhood, they’re working on tight margins.” The program helped keep the market going after it took a hit during the pandemic, Pulliam said in a previous interview with The Examiner. While the future of the program is uncertain, Bradford said he and other advocates are planning to visit lawmakers in Sacramento this week — along with some of the seniors who shop at the market — to argue their case. “It’s essential to keep that farmers market stable,” he said. “Imagine going without the farmers market.”
Heart Of The City Gavin Newsom Tenderloin Calfresh
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Applied Materials Dividend Growth Adds New Dimension to AI TradeMarket Analysis by covering: S&P 500, Applied Materials Inc. Read 's Market Analysis on Investing.com
Read more »
From AI Chips to Shipping: What Micron and FedEx Earnings Mean for the EconomyMarket Analysis by covering: FedEx Corporation, Micron Technology Inc. Read 's Market Analysis on Investing.com
Read more »
Refugees, asylum seekers set to lose CalFresh benefits April 1Changes to federal policy mean refugees and asylum seekers will no longer be eligible for CalFresh food assistance starting next month.
Read more »
San Diego County urges residents to act before new CalFresh, Medi-Cal rules take effectHundreds of thousands could be impacted by new federal requirements, as the county warns residents to update information or risk losing benefits.
Read more »
Alabama Women's Golf Defeats Florida State at Old Barnwell Match Play: Roll CallYour daily briefing on what's going on with the Alabama Crimson Tide, including full TV listings.
Read more »
Palantir Gets a Boost From Nvidia AI PartnershipMarket Analysis by covering: NVIDIA Corporation, Palantir Technologies Inc. Read 's Market Analysis on Investing.com
Read more »