Dear Colleagues,
The California Department of Food and Agriculture Healthy Soils Demonstration Program is soliciting proposals to increase statewide implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases. Funding is available for on-farm demonstration projects that collect data and/or showcase conservation management practices that mitigate GHG emissions and improve soil health, and 2) creating a platform promoting widespread adoption of conservation management practices throughout the state.
Type A: Projects are required to (a) implement the selected eligible agricultural management practice(s), (b) collect data on field measurements of GHG emissions and crop yield, (c) collect co-benefit data including soil organic matter content and soil water parameters, (d) collect other co-benefit data including benefits to soil health and environmental water and air quality data to address knowledge gaps regarding implementation of practices identified as “Practices for Demonstration and Data Collection”, and (d) conduct outreach and education to other farmers and ranchers on the benefits of these practices to agricultural and environmental sustainability. The maximum grant award for a Type A project is $300,000.
Type B: Projects are required to (a) implement the selected eligible agricultural management practice(s), (b) collect co-benefit data including soil organic matter content and soil water parameters, and (c) conduct outreach and education to other farmers and ranchers at the on-farm demonstration sites on the benefits of these practices to agricultural and environmental sustainability. The maximum grant award for a Type B project is $150,000.
Please see funding opportunity for details on eligible agricultural management practices and site location eligibility requirements.
Program funds cannot be used for research on product development and/or evaluation.
California Department of Food and Agriculture Healthy Soils Demonstration Program
The complete application requirements are available at the following link: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/DemonstrationProjects.html
Applications are due by August 28, 2023 at 5:00 pm PT.
CDFA will hold two webinar-based workshops to provide information on HS Demonstration Program requirements and the application process. Participants can register for webinar the at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/DemonstrationProjects.html.
Tuesday, July 11, 2023: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PT
Wednesday, July 12, 2023: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. PT
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)