CLIMATE SMART

AGRICULTURE

and

HEALTHY SOILS 2016 Sustainable Ag Expo

San Luis Obispo

November 15, 2016

Jenny Lester Moffitt

Deputy Secretary

California Agriculture

Food Production

In 2015, California’s farm production topped $47 billion

California has the most diverse food production in the country

Vibrant Rural Communities

California’s 76,400 farms and ranches cover 25.5 million acres

Photo Credit: USDA NRCS

Climate Change Vulnerability

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Vulnerability Index uses 4

sub indices:

1. Climate

2. Crop

3. Land use

4. Socioeconomic

When indices are combined, total agricultural vulnerability in some areas of the state is very high

Study by Jackson et al. UC Davis with funding from CEC

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California’s Climate Strategy

Climate Smart Agriculture

Climate Smart Agriculture is an integrated approach to achieving greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions while also ensuring food security in the face of climate change.

The concept is defined by three main pillars:

Sustainably increasing farm productivity and incomes.

Adapting and building resilience to climate change.

Reducing/removing greenhouse gas emissions, where possible.

California’s working lands offer substantial opportu-nities to reduce GHG emissions while building resilience to maintain our food and economic security.

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California’s Climate Smart

Ag Practices

Voluntary On-farm Practices Include:

Soil Carbon Sequestration

Manure Management

Water Management

Nitrogen Management

Integrated Farming Systems

On-farm Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency

Agricultural Land Conservation

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Electricity Petroleum Buildings Land-base Short-Lived

Milestones: Investments &

Achievements

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Electricity Petroleum Land-base Short-Lived

Over $180 million in investments in Climate

Smart Agriculture Programs since 2014

State Water Efficiency and Enhancement

Program (SWEEP)

Dairy Digester Research and Development

Program

Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation

Program

Healthy Soils Initiative

State Water Efficiency and

Enhancement Program (SWEEP)

$10 million – for 2014-15

$10 million – for 2015-16

$40 million – for 2016-17

$7.5 million – for 2016-18

…from the California Climate Investments fund (Cap and Trade Revenue $) for the California Department of Food and Agriculture to invest in irrigation and water pumping systems that reduce water use, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Photo Credit: USDA NRCS8

SWEEP Project Types

Water Conservation

Weather, Soil or Plant based sensors for irrigation scheduling

Micro-Irrigation or Drip Systems

-AND-

GHG Reductions

Fuel Conversion

Improved Energy Efficiency

Low Pressure Systems

Variable Frequency Drives

Reduced Pumping 9

5/17/2016

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• The SWEEP was implemented under the authority of the

Environmental Farming Act of 1995

Division 1, Part 1, Chapter 3, Article 8.5, Sections 560-568, Section 566 (a)

The department shall establish and oversee an

environmental farming program. The program shall

provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote

the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife

and their habitat

SWEEP AUTHORITY

3

PROJECT TYPES

Water Conservation•Weather, Soil or Plant based sensors for irrigation scheduling•Micro-Irrigation or Drip Systems

AND

GHG Reductions• Fuel Conversion• Improved Energy Efficiency• Low Pressure Systems• Variable Frequency Drives•Reduced Pumping

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Tentative Timeline for

2017 SWEEP

*Subject to change 10

Item Proposed Dates*

Request for Applications

releasedJanuary 2017

Grant Application Workshops January - February 2017

Applications Due February 2017

Application Review period February - April 2017

Announce grant awardees May 2017

Project Implementation

beginsMay 2017

Dairy Digester Research and

Development Program

Dairy digesters capture methane gas at dairy farms

and convert it into energy

Methane is approximately 21 times more potent than

carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.

CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development

Program (DDRDP) helps California dairies:

Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

Lessen energy demand by producing electricity or fuel on-

site

Reduce odors and pathogens

Potential to provide additional revenue stream through

production of by-products

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$11.1 million funded in 2015

Sustainable Agricultural

Lands Conservation ProgramFunds for agricultural conservation

easements and local ag protection

strategies to protect lands from conversion

to urban and rural residential development

2015-16 - $40 million

Easements on 18,988 acres

More Info at:

Department of Conservation and Strategic

Growth Council

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Agricultural Strategies and Outcomes

Agricultural Conservation Easements

Current SALC Project

Categories

Healthy Soils InitiativeAn Interagency Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and

Improve Drought Resiliency by Innovating Farm and Ranchland

Practices.

Climate Benefit: Sequester and Reduce

Greenhouse Gases

Co-benefits

Increase water retention

Improve plant health and yields

Reduce sediment erosion and dust

Improve water and air quality

Improve biological diversity and wildlife habitat

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Land-base

Field Buffers

Examples of Practices

Managed Grazing

Photos: USDA NRCS

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Crop Residue, Cover Crop

Compost

Actions for the Healthy Soils

Initiative

Protect and restore soil organic matter in California’s

soil

Set goals for building soil organic matter

Identify sustainable and integrated financing

opportunities

To incentivize voluntary on-farm management practices

7.5 million for FY 2016-18 (SB 859)

Provide for research, education and technical

support

Increase governmental efficiencies to enhance soil

health on public and private lands

Promote interagency coordination and collaboration 17

Land-base

Incentive and

Demonstration Program

Objective: To build soil carbon and reduce agricultural

GHG emissions through incentive and demonstration

projects.

$7.5 million in the FY 2016-17 budget to develop and

administer a new incentive and demonstration program:

Incentives Program

Demonstration Projects

Framework

Eligibility, application and timeline

Management Practices, co-benefits

Grant size and matching fund requirements

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PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

PROCESS

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Current Status

Tentative Timeline for the 2017

Healthy Soils Incentives Program

Item Proposed Dates*

Public/stakeholder meetings and

program development (including GHG

Quantification Methodology)

November 2016 – April 2017

Notice of Funding availability

releasedMay 2017

Grant Application Workshops May – June 2017

Applications/Grant Proposals due June 2017

Proposal evaluation periods June – September 2017

Grant awardees announced September 2017

Project implementation begins October 2017

*Subject to change 20

Partnerships for Soil Health

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Public Comments,

Stakeholder Input,

State and Federal Agencies

Questions?

Jenny Lester Moffitt

jenny.lestermoffitt@cdfa.ca.gov 22