CDFA SOLICITING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON PROPOSED CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM

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SACRAMENTO, May 13, 2021- CDFA is welcoming public comments on its proposed Conservation Agriculture Planning Grant Program Draft Request for Proposals. There is no funding for this new program at the present time. The program has been under development for a year with consideration of stakeholder input and oversight from the Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel. 

This new program would fund the development of a plan to help farmers and ranchers identify actions for climate change mitigation and adaptation, with a goal of ensuring food security well into the future.

CDFA has collaborated closely with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in developing the program to complement and align with federal-level conservation planning efforts. The program includes payment rates adapted from NRCS-funded programs.

“Planning is vital for agricultural resiliency to address current and future issues” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “We are pleased to establish this new program to encourage planning activities that ensure food security in a changing climate”.

Stakeholders are encouraged to review the Draft Request for Proposals for the Conservation Agriculture Planning Grants Program and submit comments on the draft RFP and detailed line item cost information associated with Carbon Farm Plans by June 15, 2021, 5 PM PST to cdfa.oefi@cdfa.ca.gov

NOTE - One plan that may be eligible for funding within this program, the Carbon Farm Plan, does not currently have NRCS-established payment rates. CDFA is requesting organizations to send detailed line-item cost information and deliverables for the development of Carbon Farm Plans so that this information can be considered for inclusion in the Conservation Agriculture Planning Grant Program.

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