SACRAMENTO –Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) has introduced Assembly Bill 2535, to make California-grown and raised whole foods the cornerstone of healthier school meals and better nutrition statewide.
AB 2535, pending amendments, would update the State’s Healthy Food Access Policy to declare that every human being has the right to access sufficient locally grown and raised, affordable, and healthy food. The measure would direct key state agencies—including the Department of Food and Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Public Health, and others—to prioritize California-grown products when updating policies, regulations, and grant criteria related to food distribution.
Health experts warn that ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) now account for more than two-thirds of calories consumed by U.S. children, driving up risks for obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. In contrast, California’s fresh, nutrient-dense locally grown and raised foods deliver higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and fiber—essential for children’s physical growth, brain development, and long-term health—while directly reducing dependence on UPFs.
“California produces the healthiest, safest, and most sustainable food in the world—right here in our own fields,” said Assemblyman Gallagher. “Our kids deserve school meals built around these real, locally grown whole foods, not ultra-processed products loaded with sugars, unhealthy fats, and additives. AB 2535 puts California agriculture at the center of the solution: better nutrition for children, stronger family farms, and a more secure food future for everyone.”
The bill builds on Gallagher’s prior work on AB 1264 (Gabriel, 2025) to improve school nutrition and supports California’s agricultural economy by promoting local sourcing, reducing transportation impacts, and reconnecting families, especially students, with the origins of their food.
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Assemblyman James Gallagher represents the 3rd Assembly District, encompassing all of Butte, Glenn, Sutter, Tehama, and Yuba counties and portions of Placer County.