Dairy PLUS Program
The Dairy Plus Program is a new program under CDFA’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation (OEFI). This program will award competitive grants to California dairy farms for the implementation of advanced manure management practices that reduce both methane emissions and nutrient surplus.
The California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF), in collaboration with CDFA and several other organizations, was awarded $85 million in funding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program in 2022. Over the next five years, this project will work to provide incentives to producers to adopt advanced climate-smart manure management practices along with outreach and technical assistance, measure greenhouse gas and nitrogen benefits associated with implemented practices, and develop markets for climate-smart commodities. Approximately $75 million of the total awarded amount will support the implementation of advanced manure management practices, and be administered through the Dairy Plus Program starting in 2023.
Consideration of New Practices Under the AMMP and DDRDP
CDFA accepted proposals for the potential inclusion of new manure management practices in the AMMP and post-digestion practices in the DDRDP Benefits Calculator Tools between August 10 and September 11, 2023. For more information, please refer to the Request for Proposals .
CDFA awarded 12 projects associated with the AMMP for the 2023 Dairy Plus Program, totaling $14.23 million in grant funding. The list of awarded projects is available. Award announcements for Dairy Plus Program projects associated with the DDRDP is expected in December 2023.
Applications were accepted between June 28 and August 28, 2023. CDFA received 28 applications associated with AMMP or DDRDP requesting $33.36 million in grant funds.
Reference Materials:
Technical Assistance Resources
For direction in identifying available technical assistance resources appropriate for your project type and region, please reach out to:
Denise Mullinax, CDRF, Executive Director – CDQAP, Assistant Director
Phone: 209-585-6744
Email: cdqap@cdrf.org (please include Dairy Plus TA in the subject line)
Program Timeline for Dairy Plus*
| Item | Estimated Time Frame* |
|---|---|
| Application Submission Period | June 28 – August 28, 2023 |
| Review Process | August – November 2023 |
| Award Announcement | November – December 2023 |
| Grant Agreement Development and Execution | December 2023 – February 2024 |
| Grant Term for 2023 Projects Begins (Anticipated) | March 2024 |
| 2024 Dairy Plus Program Grant Solicitation (Anticipated) | Spring 2024 |
(*Subject to change)
Email Subscriptions
Program Status
Closed
Program is not currently accepting applications.