Dairy Digester Research & Development Program
Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability
About the Dairy Digester Research and
Development Program
CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP) provides financial assistance for the installation of dairy digesters on California dairy farms.
Dairy digesters, also known as anaerobic digesters, harness the natural breakdown of dairy manure to generate renewable energy from methane, in the form of electricity, renewable natural gas (RNG), hydrogen, among others. Methane from dairy manure if not captured and converted into renewable energy would have otherwise been released into the atmosphere. The goal of DDRDP is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from manure management by preventing methane, a potent climate pollutant, from entering the atmosphere
Eligible projects include:
- Installation of anaerobic digesters
- Technologies that clean and condition biogas
- Equipment to upgrade biogas into renewable natural gas or other forms of energy
Benefits: Digesters contribute to California’s climate goals by significantly cutting methane emissions while supporting a circular economy. They can also promote environmental stewardship, improve soil health through compost production, and create local job opportunities in rural communities.
DDRDP supports the state’s target of reducing methane emissions to 40% below 2013 levels by 2030. The program receives strong interest each year from dairy producers seeking to implement climate-smart manure management practices.
More information on digesters and their benefits is available on the CalEPA Dairy Digesters webpage and the USEPA AgSTAR Anaerobic Digestion webpage.
Impact
As of June 17, 2025, 83% of DDRDP's incentive projects have been completed.
- DDRDP Program-Level Data of Executed and Funded Grant Projects
- DDRDP Project-Level Data of Executed and Funded Grant Projects
Grant Solicitation
The 2024 DDRDP solicitation is closed. Applications were accepted between July 23 and October 18, 2024. CDFA received 22 applications requesting $30.4 million in grant funds. Reference documents and links from the solicitation are available at Recipient Resources.
In April 2025, CDFA awarded 5 projects for the 2024 DDRDP grant round, totaling $7.4 million in grant funding. The list of the awarded projects is available: 2024 Awarded Projects.
Program Timeline
| Item | Estimated Time Frame* |
|---|---|
| Application Period Open | July 23, 2024 |
| Application Period Closed | October 18, 2024 |
| Review Process | October 2024 - February 2025 |
| Award Announcement | April 2025 |
| Grant Term for 2024 Projects Begins | June 2025 |
* Subject to change
Past Solicitations
For reference materials, applicant and awardee lists from past grant solicitations, visit the DDRDP Archives page.
