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Healthy Soils Program — Incentives

California Department of Food and Agriculture

Pays California growers to implement compost application, cover cropping, mulching, hedgerows, and other carbon-building practices, with technical assistance available.

Typical award
Up to $100,000 per operation over three years
Deadline
Block-grant windows through partner RCDs — varies by round
Type of support
Funding / grants · Conservation & soil health
Who can apply
Individual producer, Tribal, Beginning / underserved
Fits these operations
Vegetables & produce, Cut flowers, Orchard & fruit, Mixed / diversified, Value-added & food business, Urban farm
The eligibility and application details below are general guidance for this kind of program, not text copied from the funder. The facts above — who runs it, how much, and when it closes — are hand-checked. Always confirm specifics on the official page.

Am I eligible?

  • Farm or business must operate in CA
  • Individual farmers, ranchers, and farm businesses may apply
  • Tribes, tribal producers, and tribal enterprises are eligible
  • Beginning, veteran, and historically underserved producers are prioritized
  • Applicant is usually required to be registered to do business in the state
  • Matching funds or in-kind contribution may be requested

How to apply

  1. 1Read the current program page or notice of funding to confirm this cycle's rules
  2. 2Contact California Department of Food and Agriculture before writing — most funders will tell you if you are a fit
  3. 3Draft the narrative, budget, and any required letters of support
  4. 4Submit before the posted deadline; late applications are not accepted
  5. 5Sign the award agreement and track spending for reporting

What you'll need

  • Farm or business name, address, and tax ID / EIN
  • Project description and itemized budget
  • Maps, photos, or quotes for anything you plan to build or buy
  • Proof of land ownership or a lease covering the project period

Timeline & contact

Expect 2–6 months from deadline to award notice, plus contracting time
Get help: California Department of Food and Agriculture — also try Cooperative Extension in your county

Ready to apply?

Applications go through California Department of Food and Agriculture, not through this site. Open the official page below for eligibility rules, forms, and contacts. For federal programs it's worth calling your local USDA Service Center or Cooperative Extension office first — they help with paperwork for free and know what your county actually funds.

Open official page

This listing was last hand-checked August 2026.

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Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

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Producer sign-up depends on active projects in your area

Conservation funding delivered through local partner projects — watershed groups, land trusts, tribes. Producers enroll through the partner, which often means lighter paperwork than applying to NRCS alone.

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