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2024 Dairy Plus Program

CA Department of Food and Agriculture · 78177

Eligibility details

Producers eligible for this grant must: 1. Establish Farm Records with the Farm Service Agency (have farm, tract, and fields numbers in place) 2. Complete an AD-2047 3. Certify Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) compliance via Form AD-1026, Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification, and 4. Certify that they are not a foreign person or entity.

Matching funds & resources

Source matching-funds field: 50%. Cost share requirements may differ for each funding scenario (refer to the Funding Scenarios section); however, cost share is encouraged for all funding scenarios to demonstrate commitment to the project. If an applicant opts for a funding scenario where cost share is required, documented evidence of having secured matching funds must be provided as part of the application.

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

About this opportunity

The Dairy Plus Program will make approximately $58 million available to support the implementation of advanced manure management practices. The 2024 Dairy Plus Program will provide supplemental funding opportunities for projects in the 2024 Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP), the 2024 Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP), and previously awarded in progress and completed AMMP or DDRDP projects. Projects proposing advanced manure management practices must go beyond the usual GHG emission reductions and benefits already provided by the AMMP and DDRDP programs. • The grant term will be 24 months. • Project funding awarded at $750 per cow, for a maximum of $1,250,000. • Costs incurred before the beginning of the grant agreement will not be reimbursed. • Awarded projects must be complete and operational no later than 24 months after the start of the grant agreement. • CDFA reserves the right to offer an award amount different than the amount requested. • Grants are paid out on a reimbursement basis following invoice submission by the awardee. The proposed project must meet the following eligibility requirements for the 2024 Dairy Plus Program: Eligible project types can be categorized as: o A new 2024 AMMP project + Dairy Plus Program project o A new 2024 DDRDP project + Dairy Plus Program project o Previously completed AMMP recipient with a new 2024 DDRDP project + Dairy Plus Program project o In progress or previous AMMP recipient proposing a Dairy Plus Program project o In progress or previous DDRDP recipient proposing a Dairy Plus Program project • The recipient and project must adhere to all “Requirements and Limitations,” which include federal requirements specific to the USDA Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Each Dairy Plus Program project requesting funding must include at least one of the following project components that reduce methane emissions and nitrogen and salt surplus. Climate-smart practices eligible for federal funding under this grant are limited to certain Natural Resources Conservation Service-listed practices or those supported and quantified by the CARB Benefits Calculator Tool for AMMP and/or DDRDP. For more information, please visit the 2024 Dairy Plus Program Request for Grant Applications.

Funding geography: CDFA will prioritize awards to small and historically underserved producers by carving out a minimum of 10% of Dairy Plus Program funds (or approximately $7,500,000) throughout the program’s lifetime. Underserved producers generally are defined in (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/underserved-farmers-ranchers). Small farms are defined in the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Data Dictionary for Recipients).

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