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- Written by: California Department of Food and Agriculture
Approximately $25.2 million is available in this round.
There are several new programmatic changes that aim to make the application process easier, provide enhanced tools to assist with information required in the application, and achieve better alignment with USDA programs.
“These changes are critical to ensure we receive as many applications as possible,” said CDFA secretary Karen Ross. “We want to make sure our farmers and ranchers can participate in carbon sequestration and help establish agricultural sustainability into the future.”
To better align the Healthy Soils Program with USDA's EQIP program, the 2020 USDA Conservation Practice Standard Payment rates will be adopted. As a result, payment rates have increased for 11 practices and reduced for 16 practices.
CDFA is currently engaged in initiating research work with scientists and economists to evaluate Ecosystem Services or Co-benefits payment rates for each practice.
“The NRCS is delighted to partner with CDFA leadership to further soil health initiatives to better support California farmers and ranchers,” said USDA NRCS State Conservationist Carlos Suarez. “The CDFA Healthy Soils Program supports NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which furthers the Soil Health initiative.”
Other changes are as follows:
Technical Assistance – Thanks to the Strategic Growth Council, CDFA is funding $4.36 million to continue to build out its capacity to offer technical assistance. This technical assistance offered through non-profit organizations, Resources Conservation Districts, and University of California Cooperative Extension Service (UC ANR) is free to farmers and ranchers who might need help gathering required information to apply and assistance filling out online grant applications. Free technical assistance is also available to farmers and ranchers during project implementation and reporting. All designated providers of technical assistance will be posted on the CDFA Technical Assistance webpage. CDFA encourages farmers and ranchers to utilize these free services.
Inclusion of Budgetary Payments in the COMET-Planner Tool – Thanks to a collaboration between USDA NRCS, Colorado State University, the California Air Resources Board and CDFA, the COMET-Planner tool has been updated to include payment rates by USDA NRCS. This new function eliminates the need for farmers and ranchers to complete an additional separate budget worksheet in the application.
Utilization of Re-Plan Tool for Agricultural Field Identification – Thanks to a collaboration between the Strategic Growth Council and CDFA, the Regional Conservation Planning and Development Tool (Re-Plan) will be utilized to allow for applicants to identify several important required reporting parameters, including field location and size, conservation practices to be implemented, and AB 1550 Priority Populations.
Easier Electronic Application – The Healthy Soils Program team at CDFA has worked to reduce the number of questions in the electronic application. As a result, the new application is more streamlined.
Rolling Application Period with First-Come Award Process – CDFA is introducing a rolling application period over four months on a first-come, first-serve basis until all funds are awarded. This will allow those applicants who are ready with projects to apply immediately and get their applications reviewed. At the same time, those who need additional time to plan their project will be allowed more time to review the application material and determine the best fit for their agricultural operations.
The Healthy Soils Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities.
The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, sustainable agriculture, recycling and much more.
At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities and low-income households across California.
For more information, visit California Climate Investments.
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- Written by: Mendocino National Forest
The sales are called M3 and Pine Mountain.
The Forest Service will receive sealed bids in public at the Mendocino National Forest Supervisor’s Office at 825 N. Humboldt Ave. in Willows at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4.
The Pine Mountain sale is located about 15 miles northwest of Upper Lake on the Upper Lake Ranger District and has an estimated volume of 5,977 MBF of Douglas fir.
The M3 sale is located 12 miles northwest of Stonyford on the Grindstone Ranger District. It has an estimated volume of 650 MBF of ponderosa pine, 268 MBF of Douglas fir, 122 MBF of white fir, 85 MBF of sugar pine and 6.5 MBF of incense cedar.
Complete information concerning the timber, the conditions of sale and submission of bids, a prospectus and bid form are available to the public at the Forest Supervisor’s Office and online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/resources/mendocino/landmanagement/resourcemanagement.
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- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The meeting will feature the outlook for this year's sport and commercial ocean salmon fisheries, in addition to a review of last year's salmon fisheries and spawning escapement.
The meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Blvd. in Santa Rosa.
Stakeholders are encouraged to provide input on potential fishing seasons to a panel of California salmon scientists, managers and representatives who will be directly involved in the upcoming Pacific Fishery Management Council, or PFMC, meetings in March and April.
The 2020 Salmon Information Meeting marks the beginning of a two-month-long public process used to develop annual sport and commercial ocean salmon fishing recommendations.
The process involves collaborative negotiations with west coast states, federal and tribal agencies, and stakeholders interested in salmon fishery management and conservation.
Public input will help California representatives develop a range of recommended season alternatives during the March 3 to 9 PFMC meeting in Rohnert Park.
The PFMC will finalize the recommended season dates at its April 4 to 10 meeting in Vancouver, Wash.
A list of additional meetings and other opportunities for public engagement in the season-setting process is available on CDFW's ocean salmon web page, www.wildlife.ca.gov/oceansalmon/preseason.
The meeting agenda and handouts, including presentations, will be posted online as soon as they become available.
Persons with disabilities needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the public meetings or other CDFW activities are invited to contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 916-653-9089 or send an email request to
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Loans will range from $2,500 to $7,500 with consideration for larger loans based on the situation. The interest rate will be fixed at 2 percent. Repayment is due within three years.
The funds may be used to purchase equipment to alleviate impacts of fires and public safety power shutoff events (generators), inventory, working capital, debt consolidation and/or construction.
“We are excited to have arranged this low-interest loan program to immediately assist our local small businesses utilizing a portion of the funds from the $200,000 economic development grant awarded to the Cobb Area Council by the Federal Home Loan Bank late last year,” said Jessica Pyska, Cobb Area Council Economic Development Committee chair.
Interested businesses wishing to apply should contact Jeff Lucas of Community Development Services, which will be administering the program at 3895 Main Street, Kelseyville, CA 95451, telephone 707-279-1540 or via email at
For further information contact Jessica Pyska, chair, Economic Development Committee, Cobb Area Council, P.O. Box 1442, Cobb, CA 95426.