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 .
The 2023 Dairy Plus Program solicitation is now closed. Applications were accepted between June 28 and August 28, 2023. CDFA received 28 applications requesting $33.36 million in grant funds. Summary of Applications Received .
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 2023 Dairy Plus*
| Item | Estimated Time Frame* |
|---|---|
| Application Period Opens | June 28, 2023 |
| Application Period Closes | August 28, 2023 |
| Review Process | August - November 2023 |
| Award Announcement | December 2023 |
| Grant Term Begins | March 2024 |
(*Subject to change)
Email Subscriptions
Program Status
Closed
Program is not currently accepting applications.