Dear Colleagues,
California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis (OPCA) is now accepting applications for the Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) Program. The focus of this RFP is to help growers transition away from non-selective, biologically disruptive pesticides, especially those of high regulatory concern. The BIFS program supports the demonstration, refinement, and outreach of California's Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) based farming systems that are economically viable and protective of human health and the environment. All aspects of the farming system may be considered as they relate to pest management, including factors such as adjacent landscapes, whether they are farmed or not.
For the current solicitation, CDFA is prioritizing projects focusing on the following topic:
- Dacthal (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, DCPA) alternatives in Brassica and onion crops
- Neonicotinoid alternatives in tomato
- Lygus management in cotton
- Fumigant alternatives
Projects will typically include all the following elements:
- On-farm demonstration/evaluation of an innovative, biologically based farming system that employs SPM strategies;
- A collaborative outreach effort for sharing technical information about the farming system with growers, PCAs, commodity groups, and others engaged in pest management, and;
- An organized program for monitoring key biological and economic variables to inform on-farm decision making and evaluate project success.
Visit the program web page at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/opca/bifs.html for more information.
Concept Proposal Due: July 26, 2024, 5pm
Full proposal by invite only
Amount: $1,000,000 (only 1 project expected to be funded)
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)