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Biologically Integrated Farming Systems

CA Department of Food and Agriculture · 70647

Eligibility details

Public or private colleges and universities, local, State, and federal government entitiesincluding tribal governments, non-profit organizations, and commodity groups are eligible toapply. The project lead(s) and their institutions must be based in California; out-of-statecollaborators are allowed. California state agencies may not submit proposal applications butmay be subcontractors on other proposals.

Matching funds & resources

Source matching-funds field: Not Required.

Matching funds and leveraged resources are different requirements. Read the description and reviewed rules below before determining resource commitments.

About this opportunity

The focus of this RFP is to help growers transition away from non-selective, biologicallydisruptive pesticides, especially those of high regulatory concern. The BIFS program supportsthe demonstration, refinement, and outreach of SPM-based farming systems that areeconomically viable and protective of human health and the environment. All aspects of thefarming system may be considered as they relate to pest management, including factors such asadjacent landscapes, whether they are farmed or not. For the current solicitation, CDFA is prioritizing projects focusing on the following topic:• Dacthal (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, DCPA) alternatives in Brassica and onioncrops• Neonicotinoid alternatives in tomato• Lygus management in cotton• Fumigant alternatives Projects will typically include all the following elements:1. On-farm demonstration/evaluation of an innovative, biologically based farming systemthat employs SPM strategies;2. A collaborative outreach effort for sharing technical information about the farmingsystem with growers, PCAs, commodity groups, and others engaged in pestmanagement, and;3. An organized program for monitoring key biological and economic variables to informon-farm decision making and evaluate project success. The BIFS application process will occur in two stages: 1) concept proposal submission and 2) fullproposal development. This RFP is to solicit concept proposals. After concept proposal reviewand scoring is complete, OPCA will select up to three applicants to develop full proposals, whichincludes a detailed workplan, budget, budget justification, and letters of support. We anticipatefunding one proposal at the full $1 million. Prior to full proposal development, OPCA scientistswill meet with the selected applicants to discuss reviewer comments as part of a pre-projectconsultation.

Funding geography: Not specified — review source. A funder’s address does not establish eligibility.

Funding instrument: Grant. Issuing jurisdiction: California. This is not a geographic eligibility determination.