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 (OSI), and the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) awarded three grants to non-profit organizations to meet this goal.
CalFresh Fruit & Vegetable EBT Pilot Project Winddown Messaging
The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project (CF&V) is ending April 14th, 2024. CF&V incentives will no longer be available after that date. Please note, some participating farmers’ markets and grocery stores may exit the pilot before April 14th, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is happening? The CF&V Pilot is ending on April 14th, 2024. CF&V incentives will not be issued after April 14th.
What does that mean? What is changing? If you buy fruits and vegetables at a participating grocery store with your CalFresh dollars, you won’t receive any incentive dollars for that purchase after April 14th. You can still use CalFresh benefits like you did before the pilot started.
Why did the program end? The CF&V Pilot was a limited term pilot project. The money to run the pilot program has run out faster than expected.
What happens to the incentive dollars I earn before April 14th? Any dollars you earn will stay in your account until you spend them. They will stay in your account as long as your regular CalFresh benefits are active.
Does the incentive money I earn or I earned get taken back? No, any money you earn or earned before April 14th will stay on your EBT card until you spend it. The dollars you earned will stay in your account as long your regular CalFresh benefits are active.
We want to hear from you! Share your experience as a customer participant in the CF&V EBT Pilot Project by taking the 2 minute CF&V survey.