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The grants from the California Department of Food and Agriculture total about $2.97 million.

July 31, 2020

1 Min Read
Hedgerows planted in vineyard
Hedgerows are planted in a vineyard in Napa County, Calif.CDFA

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has selected 20 Healthy Soils Program (HSP) Demonstration Projects, totaling approximately $2.97 million in grant requests.

This program aims to improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) by funding on-farm demonstration projects that collect data, showcase conservation management practices that mitigate GHG emissions and increase soil health and promote widespread adoption of conservation management practices throughout the state.

“Soil health is key to agricultural productivity and food security, and capturing atmospheric carbon and storing it in the soil is an opportunity for long-term carbon storage in addition to reducing GHG emissions,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “These demonstration projects help get the word out to the farming community that these practices do work. These science-based projects will help improve the quantification benefits of carbon sequestration on the land.”

The 20 funded projects are located across the state in counties from Modoc to San Diego and span a spectrum of academic organizations from research universities to junior colleges, non-profit organizations, and Resource Conservation Districts.

With 39 applications received by CDFA requesting $5.98 million in funding requests, oversubscription rates remain high at 195% for the HSP Demonstration Projects.

Related:Healthy soils make for healthier vineyards

The Healthy Soils Program was established as part of the California Healthy Soils Initiative, a collaboration between state agencies to support the development of healthy soils in California.

The program is funded through the California Climate Investments. For details, visit the Healthy Soils Program website.

Source: California Department of Food and Agriculture, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset. 

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