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merced county

Climate Smart Agriculture

 

Caddie in field

drip setup

What is Climate Smart Agriculture?

 

Climate smart pic

Photo of a vineyard with bright green vegetation growing between each row.
Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) addresses the risk that the agriculture industry faces due to changing climate conditions. It encompasses management practices that increase soil carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve on-farm efficiencies, and promote sustainable land practices. CSA promotes increasing agricultural productivity, building resiliency to climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Para información en español, haz click aquí.

CDFA Grants

The University of California Cooperative Extension is pleased to partner with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to provide technical assistance in applying for the Climate Smart Agriculture Incentives Programs.

The grant opportunities currently available through the Climate Smart Agriculture Program are:

  • 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.
  • The Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) awards funds - up to $750,000 - to livestock producers who decrease their methane emissions by changing the way that they manage manure.
  • The Healthy Soils Program (HSP) awards up to $100,000 per project for implementing of conservation agriculture techniques that decrease erosion and greenhouse gas emissions, like cover cropping, compost, crop rotation, and mulching. 

 

UC Cooperative Extension in Merced County has a Climate Smart Agriculture Program Specialist, Caddie Bergren, who is working to provide technical assistance to growers who are interested in applying for these incentives programs.

If you would like more information about these programs please contact Caddie at (209) 385-7403 (office), (727)-318-2465 (cell) or cmbergren@ucanr.edu.