Almond growers considering upgrades to their irrigation or soil management practices have an opportunity to get in on millions of dollars in grants being offered by the state.
Growers have until March 8 to apply for two key grant programs offered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture: the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) and the Healthy Soils Program (HSP) Incentives Program. SWEEP focuses on reducing the water and energy footprint of farms by financing irrigation improvements, while HSP incentivizes practices for building and conserving soils.
“These programs offer funding to assist growers in implementing practices that reduce environmental impacts and improve their bottom line,” said Spencer Cooper, senior manager of Field Outreach and Education for the Almond Board of California. “Gathering the appropriate information may take a little time so I encourage growers not to wait until the last minute to start the process.”
Healthy Soils Program incentives
HSP incentives can be used for a variety of projects, including those focused on growing cover crops.
This year, the state is administering about $15 million in HSP grants, and growers can apply for up to $75,000 each. A cost share is not required, but it may result in a higher ranking in the competitive grant process.
Among practices eligible for grants are applying compost to orchards (two-to-eight tons per acre, depending on the carbon-nitrogen ratio), with compost either produced on farm or purchased from a certified compost producer.
HSP incentives can also be used for projects focused on reducing nitrogen fertilizer application by 15 percent or more, growing cover crops, mulching and buffer, border and filter strips, among other efforts.
SWEEP offers up to $100,000 for irrigation improvements
The state is administering about $9.5 million in SWEEP funds, with a maximum of $100,000 per grant. Also not requiring a cost share, SWEEP funds can be used to improve irrigation efficiency and reduce energy use.
Almond growers have already reduced water use by 33% in terms of ‘crop per drop’ over the past two decades.
Fundable practices include soil moisture monitoring, installation of drip systems, switching from higher-pressure systems to lower-pressure systems such as micro-sprinklers, variable frequency pump drives and installation of renewable energy such as solar or wind, if used to power the irrigation system.
Funds also can be used for irrigation pump retrofits or replacement, such as switching from diesel-powered pumps to electric pumps.
Cooper pointed out that these grant programs can also help the almond industry as a whole achieve its Almond Orchard 2025 Goals, which include further reducing water use per pound of almonds produced by 20 percent by 2025.
“Growers have already done a tremendous job reducing water use by 33% in terms of ‘crop per drop’ over the past two decades,” Cooper said. “Programs like SWEEP and Healthy Soils help support growers who are ready to make further improvements.”
Complete information, including where to find free technical help in competing the application process, is available at the links below:
