Climate Smart Agriculture

Interested in applying to a climate-smart grant?

In a collaborative partnership, CDFA and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources have teamed up to support Community Education Specialists throughout the state to provide technical assistance and outreach for the climate smart agriculture programs.

Learn more information about our technical assistance providers.

Climate-Smart Agriculture Grants

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) supports three funding opportunities in climate-smart agriculture: 

Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP)	For dairy and livestock operations who decrease their methane emissions by changing the way that they manage manure. Eligible practices: Conversion from flush to scrape, compost bedded pack barn, transitioning to a pasture-based system, and more. Funds up to $750,000 per project
State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program (SWEEP)	For farmers and ranchers installing more efficient irrigation systems, decreasing their water and energy consumption. Eligible practices: pump retrofit or replacement, conversion to microirrigation or drip, pump conversion to electric or solar, VFDs, and many more. Funds up to $200,000 per project
Healthy Soils Program (HSP)	For farmers and ranchers that implement conservation agriculture techniques that sequester carbon in the soil Eligible practices: cover crops, compost application, hedgerows, reduced and no-till systems, whole orchard recycling, and many more. Funds up to $100,000 per project

What is Climate Smart Agriculture?

Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an approach to help the people who manage agricultural systems respond effectively to climate change.  

Climate change effects include higher temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events. All of these pose risks for agriculture, food and water supplies. Resilience is therefore a predominant concern. 

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Source: Food and Agriculture Organization.

Who can help me apply for these opportunities?

Learn more information about our technical assistance providers.

As of February 2023, our Educators have supported 427 climate-smart projects, totaling $37.1 million in awarded state funds.  

The impact of these projects is removing more than 100,000 metric tons of CO2e annually. This is equivalent to removing 22,000 cars off the road each year. In terms of water, these projects are saving 2,500 ac-ft annually, equivalent to 1,250 Olympic sized pools. 

Climate Smart Agriculture Impacts

2019 CSA impact report by CalCAN (PDF, 3.7 MB)