Just awarded! CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) has released a list of organizations, that have been awarded to the Healthy Soils Program (HSP) and State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) Block Grant Pilot Programs. HSP funds agricultural practices that improve soil health and sequester carbon. SWEEP funds on-farm irrigation efficiency practices that save water and energy.

The organizations awarded block grant funding will now receive the money to disburse to farmers and ranchers in their area. Each organization will be creating program requirements unique to their area. Growers can apply with these awarded organizations just like they do with the traditional solicitations directly through CDFA. They can still use free Technical Assistance expertise to apply to these organizations. The organizations that are awarded block grants, will choose which growers get awarded and then administer the grant for its entirety.

 Please look for your county below.

The full list of HSP Block Grant Awardees can be found here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/docs/HSP_Block_Grant_2023AwardedProjects.pdf

The full list of SWEEP Block Grant Awardees can be found here: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/sweep/docs/2023/2023_SWEEP_BGP_Awards_List.pdf

 For example: Here's what this means for Sutter-Yuba Growers…

The Colusa Indian Community Council has been awarded the money to disburse for HSP and SWEEP practices. Growers will be able to submit applications to the Colusa Indian Community Council just like they would with CDFA's traditional incentive programs SWEEP and HSP grants. Growers can get help from a local Technical Assistance Provider to apply for these grants. Once growers have applied to the grants when they open, they will receive updates from the Colusa Indian Community Council to learn if they were awarded or not.

CDFA Incentive Grants for HSP and SWEEP

If there are no block grant awardees in your county, you can still apply directly through CDFA's traditional incentive programs for HSP and SWEEP. These grant applications are not currently open, but we expect them to be available later this Fall of 2023.

Many growers have been asking for updates on upcoming SWEEP and Healthy Soils application rounds. Good news! CDFA has announced that both programs will be open for new applications this fall 2023. We still do not know exact dates, but CDFA did release draft grant proposals for both programs. Here are a few updates for each:

Healthy Soils 2023 will make approximately $32 million available in this round, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Proposed (but not finalized) changes to the Healthy Soils Program include:

• The maximum award amount will increase from $100,000 to $200,000.

• The reimbursement rates will increase for some practices.

• Mulching is now a one-time practice, instead of an annual application for three years.

To view the full draft grant proposal for Healthy Soils, click here. 

Proposed (but not finalized changes) include:

• Parcels that have previously received SWEEP funding are eligible to apply again.

• Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers will be prioritized with a minimum of 25% of funding. 

• Strengthened ways to ensure one user does not submit multiple applications. In addition to needing separate tax ID numbers, each application will need a separate mailing address and grant contact.

• Changes to the scoring rubric to prioritize 'well-rounded' projects. (We will have more clarity on this in the final draft)

To view the full draft grant proposal for SWEEP, click here. 

As always, if you are interested in applying to SWEEP, you will need to gather three things before beginning an application:

1. Recent pump efficiency test(s)

2. 12 months of energy records for each pump (electric bills and/or fuel logs)

3. Quote(s) for proposed project. 

For free assistance in beginning an application or if you have further questions, please contact your local climate-smart agriculture education specialist: https://ciwr.ucanr.edu/Programs/ClimateSmartAg/TechnicalAssistanceProviders/

Bailey joined the UCCE Santa Cruz team on July 3, 2023, and is relocating from Washington, DC to Santa Cruz. After graduating from Northwestern University with a bachelor's degree in political science and environmental policy, Bailey moved to Paraguay to serve as an agriculture volunteer with the Peace Corps. In Paraguay, Bailey worked closely with agricultural educators and local producers to develop education plans and lessons to engage high school students in agricultural coursework.

After returning to the United States, Bailey worked for USDA SNAP (food stamp program) where she gained experience in agriculture policy analysis and program management. Bailey is excited to get back in the field and support Santa Cruz County growers with climate smart agriculture practices and CDFA financial incentive programs. CDFA programs provide financial incentives to eligible farmers and ranchers implementing new practices that maximize water efficiency, build soil health, and improve manure management. She is ready to assist interested growers with grant applications, project planning, and implementation.

You can reach out to Bailey to learn more about climate smart agriculture practices and funding opportunities at bsmithhelman@ucanr.edu.

SWEEP Pilot Program 2023 - A huge congratulation to the Southern Desert Region agricultural community

It was great news when CDFA announced the State Water Efficiency and Engagement Program (SWEEP) Southern Desert Pilot Program, proposed for farmers in Imperial County and a portion of Riverside County. Unlike the regular SWEEP, the applicants did not require a project that would decrease GHG emissions, but for this pilot, water conservation projects that would not increase GHG emissions were also eligible. This SWEEP pilot program allowed farmers to participate in projects tailored to local needs.

The SWEEP pilot program will provide those selected with the financial assistance of up to $200,000 for 18 months of project implementation. The selection process was competitive, and the criteria were feasibility, the amount of water saved and calculations, the guarantee of no increase in GHG emissions, and the budget.

Seventeen projects were selected for a total of $2,716,877, of which 11 projects were awarded in Imperial County for a total of $1,997,770 in funds to improve the infrastructure of irrigation systems, automation, and fuel conversion, among other practices that will have a significant impact not only on saving water and energy but also on better management of the different resources that are invariably related to water management. This pilot demonstrated the great interest of farmers in the region in adopting new irrigation practices that make their systems more efficient. Great news for our agricultural community on adopting climate-smart agricultural practices. Congratulations to all the award winners! A list of the selected projects can be found in the following link:

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/sweep/docs/SWEEP_SDR_Projects_Awarded.pdf