AB 2685 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Food and agriculture: omnibus bill.

Summary

(1) Existing law requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to prepare and file with the Legislature a written report on the marketing of processing strawberries, as specified. This bill would require the secretary to make the report publicly available on the Department of Food and Agriculture's internet website, rather than file the report with the Legislature. (2) Existing law provides that the production and handling of walnuts constitute an important industry and establishes the California Walnut Commission in state government to, among other things, promote the sale of walnuts by brand and generic advertising and other promotional means and educate and instruct the wholesale and retail trade in domestic and foreign markets with respect to proper methods of handling walnuts. Existing law, the California Marketing Act of 1937, governs the marketing of commodities in this state. This bill would authorize the commission to recommend to the secretary the adoption of walnut quality standards and product labeling requirements. The bill would authorize the secretary to adopt these quality standards and product labeling requirements recommended by the commission, and would require the secretary, if the secretary adopts these quality standards and product labeling requirements, to act in accordance with the procedures specified in the California Marketing Act of 1937, unless otherwise provided. The bill would prohibit the secretary from implementing any adopted quality standards or labeling requirements until the beginning of the marketing season next succeeding the date of adoption. The bill would authorize the commission to engage in any activity related to walnuts that is authorized pursuant to the California Marketing Act of 1937 and would require the commission, if it engages in that activity related to walnuts, to act in accordance with the procedures specified in that act, unless otherwise provided. The bill would prohibit the commission from engaging in that activity related to walnuts, until the beginning of the marketing season next succeeding the date on which the commission publicly announces its intent to engage in the activity. The bill would require the commission to serve as the advisory body to the secretary on these matters.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Aug 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/17/26 - Enrolled → AB2685 · 2 edits

MINOR

No substantive policy changes occurred between these two versions. The diff reflects the transition from the enrolled bill to the chaptered (governor-approved) version, adding the chapter number (Chapter 173), the approval date (August 31, 2026), and a digest key with procedural metadata. The three sections of legislative text are identical in both versions.

TECHNICAL

Added chapter number (Chapter 173) and governor approval date (August 31, 2026) to the bill header.

Added a digest key noting procedural details: Vote MAJORITY, Appropriation NO, Fiscal Committee YES, Local Program NO.

02/20/26 - Introduced → 06/02/26 - Amended Senate · 8 edits · Jun 2, 2026

MODERATE

AB 2685 was significantly expanded in the Senate from a narrow strawberry reporting amendment into an omnibus food and agriculture bill. The original bill only changed how the strawberry marketing report is delivered (website instead of filed with the Legislature). The amended version adds an entirely new Article 9 to the Food and Agricultural Code that grants the California Walnut Commission authority to recommend quality standards and labeling requirements, engage in marketing activities under the California Marketing Act of 1937, and serve as an advisory body to the secretary.

SCOPE

The bill's title and scope expanded from amending only Section 63126 (strawberry marketing report) to also adding Section 77103 and a new Article 9 (Sections 77196-77198) covering walnut quality standards, labeling, and commission activities.

New Section 77103 authorizes the California Walnut Commission to engage in activities and administer programs under the new Article 9.

New Section 77196(b) authorizes the commission to engage in any walnut-related activity permitted under the California Marketing Act of 1937, subject to that act's procedures.

REQUIREMENT

The strawberry marketing report requirement was changed from filing with the Legislature to making it publicly available on the Department of Food and Agriculture's website, and the responsible official was changed from 'director' to 'secretary.'

New Section 77196(a) allows the commission to recommend walnut quality standards and product labeling requirements to the secretary, who may adopt them. If adopted, the secretary must follow California Marketing Act of 1937 procedures unless otherwise specified.

TIMELINE

New Section 77197(a) prohibits implementation of any adopted quality standard or labeling requirement until the beginning of the marketing season next succeeding the date of adoption.

New Section 77197(b) prohibits the commission from engaging in authorized activities until the beginning of the marketing season next succeeding the date it publicly announces its intent to do so.

DEFINITION

New Section 77198 designates the California Walnut Commission as the advisory body to the secretary on all matters pertaining to the new article.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 10, 2026 · Assembly Apr 16, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 40

Aug 10, 2026

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

9 Yea 1

90% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 0.).

lower

Aug 11, 2026

Introduced

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

lower

Aug 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.

upper

Jun 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 2, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on AGRI.

upper

May 6, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on AGRI.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 68. Noes 0. Page 4683.)

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 8).

lower

Mar 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on AGRI.

lower

Feb 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors