The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has opened grant applications for commercial dairies and livestock operations to implement methane emission reduction measures. CDFA’s dairy and livestock methane programs have funded 271 projects since 2015, resulting in a reduction of over 24.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The emission reductions are equivalent to taking 5.4 million gasoline-powered cars off the road. This year, CDFA will offer its flagship grants, the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) and the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP). The Budget Act of 2022 has allocated $48 million for livestock methane reduction, with an additional $20 million specifically for AMMP through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
AMMP will have approximately $20.9 million available, while DDRDP will offer around $11.4 million for 2023 awards. The Dairy Plus Program, newly introduced this year, will provide an opportunity to expand the scope of traditional AMMP and DDRDP projects. It has secured approximately $75 million from the USDA Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities program. Dairy Plus will fund advanced manure management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address nutrient surplus. Both new and previous applicants of AMMP and DDRDP can apply to the Dairy Plus Program.
“Dairy families in California continue to step up to ensure the agriculture sector contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation,” CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said in a press release. “The partnership between the state and dairy families has resulted in significant methane emission reductions, making California a national and international leader in supporting on-farm livestock methane reductions using climate-smart agricultural management approaches and other environmental benefits, including improved water quality from dairy farms.”
Applications for all three of the programs are due Monday, August 28, 2023, by 5:00 PM PT.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West