CDFA's Healthy Soils Program (HSP) and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) are currently accepting applications! If you are an agricultural operation looking to save water and/or improve your soils then these programs might be for you. Below is a list of things to consider for the grants.

 CDFA's State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP): Apply for up to $200,000 for irrigation management practices that reduce water and greenhouse gas emissions (by conserving energy).

What is CDFA's SWEEP grant? CDFA's SWEEP provides grant funding to California agricultural operations to incentivize activities that reduce on-farm water use and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from irrigation systems. 

How is SWEEP funded? SWEEP is funded from the Budget Act of 2021 which allocated $50 million this round.

Who can apply? The irrigation project must be located on a California agricultural operation and cannot build upon previously funded SWEEP projects directly affecting the same Assessor's Parcel Numbers (APNs).

What are the exclusions from applying to SWEEP?

1. You cannot apply to expand existing agricultural operations.
2. You cannot apply to install new groundwater wells or increase well depth.
3. You cannot test new technology or perform research.

Which practices are eligible for funding? Some of the practices that are eligible for funding are replacing pumps,v variable frequency drives, using soil moisture or plant sensors, converting to a more efficient irrigation method, or adding equipment for irrigating more efficiently such as pipes, flowmeters, and pressure regulators. CDFA is open to a variety of practice, including solar conversions, as long as the overall project will save water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Request for Grant Applications has a sample list of practices on page i-iii (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/sweep/docs/2021_SWEEP_RGA_-_October_19_Release.pdf).

How long is the project duration? The project duration is 24 months.

What information or documents do I need to apply?

1. Pump efficiency test for all pumps that will be included in the project. The information you will need on the pump test is overall pumping efficiency percentage, horsepower, discharge pressure and pumping depth.
2. 12 consecutive months of utility bills, actual fuel receipts and/or field operational logs.
3. If applying for a solar project, you are required to get a quote from the solar company. All other projects are not required to have quotes, but it is highly recommended.

For more information please go to: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/sweep/

Also Attend the CDFA hosted online workshop on Monday 11/15/2021 from 1-3pm.

Sign up for upcoming workshop here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vIYKUkfOQbeUSsJ3ycVxpw

CDFA's Healthy Soils Program (HSP): https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/

Apply for up to $100,000 for soil practices that improve soil health and sequesters carbon.

What is CDFA's Healthy Soils Program? CDFA's Healthy Soils Incentives Program provides financial incentives to California growers and ranchers to implement agricultural management practices that sequester carbon, reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions and improve soil health.

How is the Healthy Soils Program funded? The Healthy Soils Program is funded from the State's cap and trade also known as the California Climate Investments and the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for all Act of 2018. This round the Healthy Soils Program was appropriated $50.5 million.

Who can apply? California agricultural operations who will have control of the land during the duration of the grant can apply.

What are the exclusions from applying to the Healthy Soils Program?

1. You cannot apply for practices other than those that are listed on the Request for Grant Application (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/docs/2021_HSP_Incentives_RGA.pdf).
2. You cannot apply for practices that you have implemented in the previous year.
3. You cannot apply if the practices will be implemented in potted plants or other plant growth media.

Which practices are eligible for funding? Some of the practices that are eligible for funding are cover cropping, reduced-till, compost application and conservation plantings. The complete list of practice can be found on the Request for Grant Applications on pages 30-50 (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/docs/2021_HSP_Incentives_RGA.pdf).

How long is the project duration? The project duration is three years long starting in 2022 and ending in 2025. Depending on the practice chosen, you will likely implement the practice once a year for three years.

What information or documents do I need to apply?

1. A list of practices you wish to apply for, examples include cover crop, compost, hedgerow planting and mulch application.
2. Information regarding the last three years of crop history and management practices. No documentation is required just a written statement.
3. If you lease land, a statement signed from your landowner stating that you will have control over the land for the duration of the grant.

Attend the CDFA hosted online workshop for the healthy soils program on Thursday 11/18/2021 from 9-11am. The workshop agenda can be viewed here:

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/docs/2021_HSP_Incentives_Workshop_Agenda.pdf

Sign up for upcoming workshop here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p6Kxg55GTbSdXU5ddpsNGw

For FREE technical assistance in filling out the application please contact  Valerie Perez, valperez@ucanr.edu or (831) 595-8545

For FREE technical assistance with equipment and irrigation system design ideas, please contact Michael Cahn, mdcahn@ucanr.edu or 831-214-3690