The Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program shall be administered in accordance with all of the following:

(a) Subject to the regulations adopted by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the United States Department of Agriculture in accordance with the federal Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79), or any subsequent federal agricultural act, moneys in the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Account shall be awarded in the form of grants to qualified entities for consumer incentive programs.

(b) (1) The Office of Farm to Fork shall establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and procedures for awarding grants in consultation with the United States Department of Agriculture and other interested stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Public Health, State Department of Social Services, organizations with expertise in nutrition benefit programs or consumer incentive programs, small business owners that may qualify as a qualified entity, and certified farmers’ market operators.

(2) The department shall not use more than one-third of the Nutrition Incentive Matching Grant Program funds for consumer incentive programs with qualified entities described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 49012 that are not otherwise qualified pursuant to paragraph (1) of that subdivision.

(c) The department shall give priority in awarding grants to qualified entities based on, but not limited to, the following:

(1) The service of an area of population currently not being served by a consumer incentive program.

(2) The degree of the existence of the following demographic conditions and the character of the communities in which sales of California grown fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables are made to the public by authorized vendors operating in conjunction with a qualified entity:

(A) The number of people who are eligible for, or receiving, nutrition benefit program services.

(B) The prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and other diet-related illnesses.

(C) The availability of access to fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

(3) Demonstrated efficiency in the administration of a consumer incentive program.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 51, Sec. 4. (SB 854) Effective June 27, 2018.)