Climate Smart Agriculture

What is Climate Smart Agriculture?

Climate Smart Agriculture addresses the risks that climate change poses to agriculture.

It encompasses management practices that:

• Increase soil carbon
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Improve water use efficiency

UCANR has partnered with the California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) to provide technical assistance for farmers and ranchers interested in climate smart agriculture financial incentive programs. These programs provide funding to implement practices that build resiliency to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

How do we provide technical assistance? 

UC ANR's team of Community Education Specialists provide technical assistance, outreach, and education to increase the adoption of climate smart agriculture practices targeted at soil health, manure management, and water use efficiency across California.

We provide technical assistance by: supporting growers with project design, application, implementation, monitoring, and verification of CDFA's climate smart agriculture grant programs; assisting with grant applications for other climate smart agriculture programs; and providing translation services and computer access to growers. For more information about the program, please visit https://ciwr.ucanr.edu/Programs/ClimateSmartAg/. 

You can keep up with the Climate Smart Agriculture team and learn about upcoming workshops and grants by following our blog!

Funding Opportunity for Growers and Ranchers!

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

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

• The Healthy Soils Incentive Program (HSP) awards up to $100,000 to eligible growers for implementation of conservation agriculture techniques that decrease erosion and greenhouse gas emissions and improve soil health.
• Eligible projects include compost application, cover crop planting, mulching, and hedgerow planting. Eligible practices are based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Practice Standards (CPS). Click here for a full list of practices.

Application information: Applications will likely be administered through local organizations via Block Grants, so application requirements may vary. Free technical assistance is available through your local Climate Smart Agriculture specialist.

CDFA’s State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP): https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/sweep/

Apply for up to $200,000 for irrigation management practices that improve water efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. What you will need to apply:

• The State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) encourages farmers to install more efficient irrigation systems that decrease their water consumption as well as their greenhouse gas emissions. You can apply for a SWEEP grant for up to $200,000.
• Eligible projects could include soil moisture monitoring, adding drip systems, switching to low pressure irrigation systems, pump retrofits, variable frequency drives, and installation of renewable energy to reduce on-farm water use and energy. Projects can include installation of solar energy systems.

Application information: Applications will likely be administered through local organizations via Block Grants. Before you apply, you'll need a pump efficiency test for all irrigation pumps to be included in the project,12 months of utility bills showing energy use, a budget, and a project design. Technical assistance is available through your local Climate Smart Agriculture specialist.