- Author: Alli Rowe
Hi again!
In my first blog post I introduced myself and shared some information about climate smart agriculture. Today, I'd like to share more about what is being done in California and how that relates to the implementation of practices on the ground. Specifically, I'd like to introduce three programs: Healthy Soils, State Water Efficiency and Enhancement, and Alternative Manure Management.
To build resiliency in agriculture and reduce the impacts of climate change, the California Department of Food and Agriculture launched Climate Smart Agriculture Programs in 2014, funding them with proceeds from the state's cap-and-trade program. The programs provide unique grant opportunities to farmers and ranchers to adopt management practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon storage in soils and woody plants, and improve water use efficiency, all while benefiting the agricultural economy and community.
In my role, I act as a technical assistance provider for these programs in Ventura County. That means I get the word out to farmers and ranchers about the programs, work with folks to develop a project proposal, provide assistance in completing the online application, and support project implementation. If you are a farmer or rancher interested in any of these programs, you can contact me anytime. Serving you is my #1 priority.
The three programs are the following:
Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP)
- Awards funds to dairy and livestock operations to implement alternative manure management practices that reduce methane emissions.
- Practices include (but are not limited to): solid separation, composting, solid storage, and conversion from flush to scrape.
- Maximum grant size $750,000.
State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program (SWEEP)
- Awards funds to farmers and ranchers to implement irrigation and pump upgrades that save water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Practices include (but are not limited to): installation of variable frequency drive, pump upgrades and retrofits, filter installation, soil moisture sensor installation, or converting water delivery methods.
- Maximum grant size $100,000.
- Awards funds to farmers and ranchers to implement practices that build soil health, increase soil carbon, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Practices include (but are not limited to): cover cropping, mulch application, compost application, nutrient management planning, windbreak or hedgerow establishment, prescribed grazing management, reduced or no till.
- There are two applications available through the Incentives Program or Demonstration Projects.
- The Incentives Program funds implementation of conservation practices. Maximum grant size is $75,000.
- The Demonstration Projects showcase implementation of Healthy Soils practices to farmers and ranchers in the community and can have an additional research component. Maximum grant size without a research project is $100,000 and $250,000 with a research project.
To date, these climate smart agriculture programs have funded over 700 projects on farms and ranches in California. Over the course of the lifetime of the project, they will reduce California's GHG emissions by more than 750,000 metric tons of CO2e, the equivalent of removing approximately 200,000 cars from the road for a year. And that's just the beginning!
These programs are fledglings and require more support to develop into effective funding opportunities for farmers and ranchers. With time and resources, climate smart agriculture programs have enormous potential to build resiliency for California farmers and ranchers while reducing GHG emissions, saving water, and storing carbon in our soils.
There are currently 8 community education specialists working throughout the state as technical assistance providers for these programs. If you are located outside of Ventura County and are interested in applying for a grant or have questions, please contact the UC Extension community education specialist in your region.
Mencino County: Britta Baskerville – blbaskerville@ucanr.edu
Glenn County: Dana Brady – dmbrady@ucanr.edu
Yolo County: Emily Lovell – ejlovell@ucanr.edu
Santa Cruz County: Valerie Perez – valperez@ucanr.edu
Ventura County: Alli Rowe – amrowe@ucanr.edu
San Diego County: Esther Mosase – enmosase@ucanr.edu
Imperial County: Kristian Salgado – kmsalgado@ucanr.edu
Kern County: Shulamit Shroder – sashroder@ucanr.edu
Climate smart agriculture encompasses management practices that increase soil carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve yields and efficiencies, and promotes climate resilience. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) supports three funding opportunities in climate smart agriculture: the Healthy Soils Program, the State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program, and the Alternative Manure Management Program.
In a collaborative partnership, CDFA and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources have teamed up to support 10 community education specialists throughout the state to provide technical assistance and outreach for the climate smart agriculture programs. As one of these technical assistance providers, my role is to promote and support the adoption of these programs in Ventura County. If you are interested in working with me, please contact me at amrowe@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Alli Rowe
Hello!
My name is Alli Rowe, Ventura County UC Cooperative Extension's Community Education Specialist working to promote and expand the adoption of science-based climate smart farming and ranching practices. I bring a background in biology, research experience on working lands and climate change, and enthusiasm for supporting food systems. Plus, I really like to talk about soil carbon. Like a lot.
Now, what exactly is climate smart agriculture? The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations coined the term climate smart agriculture as “an approach that helps to guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security in a changing climate”. In short, climate smart agriculture addresses how to manage agricultural systems to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population while both building resiliency to climate change and using agriculture as a solution to our climate crisis.
To be effective, climate smart agriculture must meet three main objectives:
1) Increase agricultural productivity and incomes;
2) Adapt to and build resiliency to climate change; and
3) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Climate smart agriculture addresses the risks that agricultural production faces under a changing climate, underscores agriculture's role in solving climate change, and focuses on the importance of intensification of agriculture required to feed a global population.
California's agricultural industry is at extreme risk to the impacts of climate change. Changes in temperatures, precipitation patterns, extreme weather events, and water availability all pose a threat to the viability of agricultural production. Warming temperatures throughout the state will result in a decline of winter chill hours, increased water demand by crops, and the promotion of various pests. Projections show an increased tendency of heat wave events and an increase in duration and intensity of drought. In addition, California expects to see earlier snowmelt, resulting in increased flooding and a decrease in year-round water availability. This is a doom and gloom scenario we look towards unless we decide to act today to plan for tomorrow.
Agriculture and working lands play a significant role in climate change. According to the EPA's recent inventory, agricultural management practices contribute 8.4% of the United States' greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Interestingly, and encouragingly, agriculture can also act as a greenhouse gas sink by removing atmospheric carbon and storing it in plant tissue and soils. Through effective management, agriculture provides a significant solution to climate change.
This means agriculture can build resiliency to the impacts of climate change while acting as a solution to climate change. Carbon sequestration (long-term storage) in our soils is a low-tech solution that has been around since plants started photosynthesizing. Climate smart agriculture management practices focus on building soil health, increasing carbon storage in woody plants and soil, improving water use efficiency, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with agricultural practices.
While climate smart agriculture practices are important to building resiliency and addressing climate change, they also tackle the essential questions of agricultural productivity. In order to feed a growing global population, existing agricultural production must be intensified. This means getting the maximum yields out of land already under cultivation so we don't go tearing out more carbon-rich forests to expand mediocre agricultural lands. Increasing soil health and hyper-efficiently managing water improves yields and reduces the cost of inputs such as fertilizer and water. Farming for a climate-smart future means farming to feed the world and keeping farmers farming.
My work centers around identifying management practices that boost agricultural productivity, save money on synthetic inputs and expensive water, build resilience to a changing climate and combat the increasing carbon emissions in our atmosphere. I look forward to sharing what farmers and ranchers are doing in Ventura County and beyond in future blog posts!
Climate smart agriculture encompasses management practices that increase soil carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve yields and efficiencies, and promotes climate resilience. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) supports three funding opportunities in climate smart agriculture: the Healthy Soils Program, the State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program, and the Alternative Manure Management Program.
In a collaborative partnership, CDFA and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources have teamed up to support 10 community education specialists throughout the state to provide technical assistance and outreach for the climate smart agriculture programs. As one of these technical assistance providers, my role is to promote and support the adoption of these programs in Ventura County. If you are interested in working with me, please contact me at amrowe@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Cris L. Johnson
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is sponsoring a "Developing a Best Management Practice Program for Your Nursery" meeting.
Join plant pathologist, Kathleen Kosta and nursery biologist Ruben Arias to learn more about this important area of commercial nursery management.
Date - Thursday, August 21, 2014
Time - 9:00 to 10:30 am
Location - 669 County Square Dr.
Ventura, CA 93003
California Conference Rooms A & B
Admission is free!
See this flyer for more information.
- Author: Cris L. Johnson
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is offering free training on good agricultural practices (GAP) to small farm growers.
Topics include:
- Record keeping
- Harvest activities
- Storage
- Transportation
- Hygiene
- Water testing
- Handling of manure
The sessions are three hours long and will be held at a variety of locations in California including Ventura during October and November.
The Ventura workshop:
Wednesday, October 24 (English/Spanish)
From 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
Crowne Plaza meeting room
450 East Harbor Blvd.
Ventura, CA 93001
805-652-5144
For more locations and information about these workshops see this flyer.