Healthy Soils Program (HSP)

Photo with permission by Dylan de Jonge

The CDFA's Healthy Soils Program (HSP) provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers for the implementation of conservation agriculture practices that improve soil health and sequester carbon.

Funds and timeline: Farmers and ranchers can receive up to $100,000 to implement healthy soils practices and have three years to implement their projects.

Types of projects: Your application can include a combination of up to 30 different eligible soil health practices including:

Practices for Annual Crops
Practices for Perennial Crops
Practices for Rangeland
Compost
Cover Crops

How to apply:

The grant process includes a web-based application consisting of a series of questions that can be saved and returned to before submitting.

It is helpful to plan your project and obtain quotes before beginning the application. Free, local technical assistance is available across the state. Contact your local Community Education Specialist for more information.

Click here to see the 2020 HSP Incentives Awardees.

The CDFA's Healthy Soils Program (HSP) is currently OPEN. Click on the link here to begin an application. Applications will close on February 9, 2024.

CDFA HSP Demonstration Projects

Photo by Markus Winkler

The CDFA HSP Demonstration Projects aim to improve soil health, sequester carbon and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) funding on-farm demonstration projects that collect data and/or showcase conservation management practices that mitigate GHG emissions and increase soil health, and creating a platform promoting widespread adoption of conservation management practices throughout the state.

Type A projects will demonstrate implementation of conservation management practices, measure field GHGs emissions, and conduct analysis on cost/benefits for adoption of the proposed practice(s) and anticipated barriers;
Type B projects will demonstrate implementation of HSP conservation management practices and/or conduct analysis on cost/benefits for adoption of the proposed practice(s) and anticipated barriers.

See the 2020 CDFA HSP Demo Awardees

Healthy Soils Program - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What’s the maximum award for HSP?

The maximum award amount is $100,000.

2. What practices are funded through HSP?

HSP covers around 30 soil health practices that include but are not limited to: cover cropping, no-till, reduced-till, mulching, compost application, and conservation plantings. For a comprehensive list of practices eligible for funding, please visit:

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/healthysoils/docs/CDFAHealthySoilsPractices.pdf

View full HSP FAQs here.