CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable EBT Pilot Project
AB 1811, Chapter 35, (2018), added Welfare and Institutions Code 10072.3 and created the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project. The goal of the pilot project was to develop and refine a scalable model for increasing the purchase and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by delivering supplemental benefits to CalFresh recipients in a way that could be easily adopted by USDA FNS (Food and Nutrition Service) authorized retailers of various types, sizes, and locations in the future. The California Department of Social Services EBT, in partnership with CalFresh, the Office of Technology and Solutions Integration (OTSI), and the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) awarded three grants to non-profit organizations to meet this goal.
CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project (CF&V) Update
The CF&V Pilot Project resumes October 1, 2026. $20 million in additional funding was recently approved as part of the Budget Act of 2026. The pilot will continue to operate while funding is available.
Skip to Frequently Asked Questions
Participating Retailers and Farmers Markets:
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Pilot Grantee
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Grocery Partner or Farmers’ Market
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Impacted County
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Fullwell
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Arteaga’s Food Center
- 204 Willow St, San Jose, CA 95110
- 6906 Automall Pkwy, Gilroy, CA 95020
- 1003 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125
- 2620 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95116
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Santa Clara
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Fullwell
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Santa Fe Foods
- 860 White Rd, San Jose, CA 95127
- 7356 Thornton Ave, Newark, CA 94560
- 1017 N Main St, Salinas, CA 93906
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Santa Clara
Alameda
Monterey
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Fullwell
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Harvest Market
- 171 Boatyard Dr, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
- 10501 Lansing St, Mendocino, CA 95460
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Mendocino
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Ecology Center
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LA River Farmers’ Market (Food Access Los Angeles)
- 1245 N Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
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Los Angeles
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UC San Diego Center for Community Health at the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute at the UCSD
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Mothers Nutritional Center
All 82 locations
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Los Angeles
Orange
Riverside
San Bernardino
San Diego
Imperial
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Frequently Asked Questions:
- What is happening?
- The CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable (CF&V) EBT Pilot Project will start again on October 1, 2026.
- What is changing?
- Any benefits already earned and still on your EBT card can still be used. When the program restarts, people who qualify can earn CF&V incentives again retailers that are part of the program.
- Will the pilot pause again?
- The CF&V pilot project resumes October 1, 2026 and will continue as long as funding is available. CDSS will share updates on this webpage if there are changes to the pilot.
- Who can earn the incentive?
- Anyone who currently gets CalFresh or used to get CalFresh and still has a balance of EBT food benefits, can earn CF&V benefits if they purchase eligible items at participating retailer locations.
- Where can I use the incentive?
- You can earn the incentive benefit only at approved stores and farmers’ markets. But once you earn it, you can spend it anywhere that accepts CalFresh EBT. Benefits you earned before can still be used anywhere CalFresh is accepted until they expire.
- How much can I get?
- In addition to your monthly CalFresh allotment, you may earn up to $60 in incentive benefits each month. The pilot program will match the amount you spend on fruits and vegetables, dollar for dollar. While the project is paused, participants will not receive new CF&V incentive dollars.
- Do I need to sign up or complete any forms?
- No, you don't need to sign up or fill anything out.
- What happens if I do not spend earned benefits?
- Like with conventional CalFresh benefits, CF&V incentive benefits only expire if you don't use your EBT card for food purchases for 270 days. Once they expire, you cannot get them back.
- I bought fruits and vegetables but did not receive new incentive benefits. Why not?
- You can only earn benefits when the CF&V pilot program is operating and at participating locations. If the store was not participating or the program was paused, incentive food benefits will not be provided. The ebtEDGE app displays incentives earned during each month, but older, unspent benefits are still visible in the food benefits.
- I do not see the “Month-To-Date Incentive Program Summary” on the ebtEDGE mobile app or cardholder portal. Does this mean the CF&V program is not available to me?
- This Summary only appears if you ever made a qualifying fruit and vegetables purchase at a participating retailer. If you haven't made a purchase this month, it won't show up.
- When will there be a participating retailer near me?
- Right now, the CF&V Pilot is not being expanded to new retail locations. Only retail locations listed on this webpage are included at this time.
- CF&V County Letters
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