Healthy Soils Program (HSP)

CDFA HSP Incentives Program

The CDFA Healthy Soils Program encourages farmers to incorporate conservation agriculture techniques that improve their soil health and sequester carbon. 

This grant will provide up to $100,000 to implement healthy soils practices.

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

• Practices for Annual Crops

• Practices for Perennial Crops

• Grazing land practices

*Full list of eligible practices and payment rates here

Payment rates: Each practice receives a flat rate per acre or per linear foot. Check out 2021's payment rates on pages 30-50 here. 

Compost Information

• Compost may be applied to annual crops, perennial crops, orchards, and rangelands.
• Compost can be purchased from a certified facility or produced on-farm.

Cover Crop Information

If you are interested in borrowing a compost spreader, please click here. 

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.

CDFA HSP Demonstration Projects

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