Healthy Soils Demonstration Program

The HS Demonstration Program will fund projects that implement eligible agricultural management practices and conduct outreach to California farmers and ranchers at on-farm demonstration sites. Projects must showcase conservation management practices that mitigate GHG emissions and increase soil health and help create a platform promoting widespread adoption of conservation management practices throughout the state. Eligibility Nonprofit entities, University Cooperative Extensions, Federal and University Experiment Stations, city and community colleges, Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs), California Native American Tribes, and farmers and ranchers in partnership with one of the aforementioned entities are eligible to apply. Individuals are not eligible to apply. A project must include at least one farm to fulfill demonstration requirements.More than one farm may be included in a single application; however, the same farm cannot be included in multiple applications. CDFA will award a maximum of two applications submitted by the same lead applicant, but each application should be for a unique project. Entities receiving grant funds must be located in California with a physical California business address. Applicants must lease, own, or otherwise control the fields and Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) where project activities are proposed to occur for the entirety of the project duration. If selected for an award, applicants must be able to respond to information required by CDFA to execute a grant agreement within 30 days of receiving a notice of award. CDFA reserves the right to rescind award offer if awardee fails to respond within 30 days. Exclusions Program funds cannot be used to implement management practices that are not listed under Eligible Agricultural Management Practices in this grant solicitation. All requirements for practice implementation must be followed wherever applicable. Program funds cannot be used to fund fields with existing and ongoing implementation of any agricultural management practices listed under Eligible Agricultural Management Practices, including fields for which a CDFA Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) program was previously awarded. Awards made through the HS Demonstrations Program cannot be used as cost share for any other awards made through a CDFA CSA program. Compost Application and Whole Orchard Recycling Practices must not be implemented on APNs consisting of soils with soil organic matter content greater than 20 percent by dry weight (in top 20 cm or 8-inch depth). Practices may not be implemented on lands or crop types that are not suitable based on USDA - NRCS Conservation Practice Standards and USDA - NRCS California Scenarios. Program funds cannot be used for projects using potted plants or other plant growth media, on cannabis cultivation operations, or for research on product development and/or evaluation. Key words: conservation management practice, soil health, Greenhouse gas reduction

Eligibility

• Programs related to agricultural
• Programs related to conservation

Award details

Applications close on August 28, 2023.

Categories

Arts Culture · Sustainability