Healthy Soils Program Sparks Long-Term Sustainable Change for Glenn County Walnut Farm
Anaerobic Dairy Digester Converts Methane to Renewable Natural Gas in Merced County
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Vander Woude Dairy, a family-owned and operated business in Merced, California, has leveraged California Climate Investments (CCI) funding through the Dairy Digester and Development Program (DDRP) to implement an innovative covered lagoon digester for methane capture. The digester will process manure solids daily, capturing methane to be converted into Renewable Compressed Natural Gas for vehicle use at the dairy.
Sonoma County Organic Dairy Strives for Continuous Improvement in Reducing Environmental Impacts
California Department of Food and Agriculture
The Triple C Dairy Compost Barn and Solid Separation Project received California Climate Investments funding in 2019 through the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP). Triple C Ranch, an organic dairy located in Sonoma County, used the funding to install a new compost bedded pack barn to house a portion of the herd during winter months, automate scrape collection of manure from barn alleyways, and add a solid-liquid separator that would reduce the amount of collected manure entering anaerobic storage.
Water Efficiency Improvements at Villa Pacifica Ranch
California Department of Food and Agriculture
James (Jim) Miller received a State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) grant award of $97,614 for improvements at an orange and avocado orchard in Cayucos, California. The farm was dealing with a high energy cost and wanted to utilize irrigation tools to support more precise and efficient irrigation scheduling. Using the SWEEP funds, Jim and his son Daryn oversaw the installation of two solar energy arrays (14.72 kW and 16 kW); one for each of the on-farm wells. In addition, the recipients installed new high efficiency electric pumps with screen filters, a flow meter at each well, soil moisture sensors, and a weather station. With the addition of these tools, the farm made improvements to both the energy efficiency of their irrigation system and can make more informed irrigation decisions by relying on the sensors.
First of Its Kind Fuel Cell Project Generating Electricity from Dairy Waste
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Thanks to $3 million in funding from the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP), a California Bioenergy dairy digester and Bloom Energy fuel cell technology have been installed at the Bar 20 Dairy in Fresno County and are now capturing methane and generating renewable electricity without combustion. This innovative project was made possible through state incentive programs and private investors including the DDRDP administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Self Generation Incentive Program, administered by the California Public Utilities Commission, and access to revenue generated by California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credit.
New Equipment on a Turlock Dairy Farm Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Produces Co-Benefits
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Supported by a $565,470 grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Alternative Manure Management Program, Paul Danbom of Brindeiro & Danbom Dairy Farms in Turlock took a significant step towards improving the efficiency of his dairy operation and installed a new solid separation system. Instead of flushed manure being discharged directly into a settling pond and storage lagoon system, it is now pumped through a separator capable of capturing a large portion of manure solids, keeping that organic material from entering and decomposing in a liquid environment where it would produce methane.
Supporting Farmers and Rancher’s Access to Grant Funding
Supported by $3.57 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Climate Smart Agriculture initiative provides technical assistance to help farmers find funding and implement projects that support their work while helping to achieve the State’s climate goals. These funds, which were leveraged by California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Strategic Growth Council, support 10 Community Education Specialists, a group of technical experts with the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Since 2019, these Community Education Specialists have assisted over 850 farmers and ranchers across the State with applications to programs under the Climate Smart Agriculture initiative.
Healthy Soils Through Whole-Orchard Recycling
David Viguie of Viguie Farming is revitalizing soil health on 44 acres of a 28-year-old French prune orchard located in the city of Winters. Prior to receiving a Healthy Soils Program grant, David conventionally farmed his orchard. In his pursuit to restore the property's soil health, David applied to the Healthy Soils Program and received a $38,378 grant from California Climate Investments to achieve his goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing soil carbon by removing a prune orchard through whole-orchard recycling.
Supporting Ecosystem, Community, and Cultural Resilience at Clover Valley Ranch
With help from a $680,974 grant from California Climate Investments through the Wetlands & Watershed Restoration Program, the Sierra Fund and project partners are carrying out multi‑benefit restoration efforts at the 2,655‑acre Clover Valley Ranch. Initiated in 2017, this project will sequester nearly 188,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent while halting stream incision; increasing biodiversity; and improving hydrologic function, flood reduction, sediment filtration and water quality. However, the goal of this project extends beyond of ecosystem function and carbon sequestration benefits; these activities will also support community and cultural resilience through the promotion of cultural skills and activities.
Rebuilding Healthy Soil on the Urban Edge of Chico
Pamela Posey of Harpos Organics is revitalizing soil health on two acres of walnut trees that have been farmed for more than 40 years. Since her December 2017 purchase of the property, located on the urban edge of Chico, California, Posey has managed the land using healthy soil management practices. In her quest to restore the property from the ground up, Posey turned to the Healthy Soils Program and received a $8,860 grant from California Climate Investments with a $1,500 cost share to achieve her goals of improving the health of the soil and providing increased biodiversity.
Cultivating Healthy Soil Practices in Chico
Chico Flax LLC developed its healthy soils project in collaboration with California State University and the Chico Department of Agriculture to use the 3.75-acre parcel as a regional prototype of sustainable flax production. They coupled the $10,700 grant funds from CDFA with a $5,000 cost-share to implement the three-year healthy soils project.
Cover Crop and Reduced-Till Projects Build Healthy Soils
Charlie Starr grows wine grapes in San Joaquin County. In the past few years, he has been thinking about how to reduce nutrient leaching to groundwater and agricultural dust in the air. The state Healthy Soils Program provided him with the financial incentives to implement conservation management practices on his farmland. His project includes “Cover Crop” and “Reduced-Till.”
Capturing Methane to Create Renewable Fuels in Kern County
The CalBioGas Kern County biogas cluster – or Kern Cluster – was developed by a joint venture between California Bioenergy, Chevron U.S.A. Incorporated, and several California dairy farmers. The Dairy Digester Research and Development Program has awarded grants totaling over $17.6 million from California Climate Investments to the dairy operations in the Kern Cluster, which is comprised of eight family‑owned dairy farms. Thanks to these funds, these dairies now capture and prevent the release of methane – a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide – and are creating a renewable source of fuel.
Dairy Digester Delivers Renewable Energy in Kern County
Located outside Bakersfield, the Carlos Echeverria and Sons (CE&S) Dairy Biogas project will use anaerobic digester technology to produce energy, reduce GHG emissions, comply with environmental regulations and increase nutrient availability to crops. The project is funded through CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP), supported by Cap-and-Trade dollars and the California Energy Commission.
Manure Management Project in Kings County Offsets Electricity Usage
Phil Verwey knows that happy cows produce better and more milk, and recent California Climate Investments in his dairy have made both Mr. Verwey—and his cows—very happy. Thanks to a $3 million grant from the CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program in 2015, along with $4 million in matching funds, the animal manure from his operation is now being turned into high quality bedding for his herd and electricity.
Collective Biogas Operation Reduces Emissions from Multiple Central Valley Dairies
Calgren Dairy Fuels (CDF) is the first California dairy digester pipeline cluster that upgrades dairy biogas to biomethane for utility pipeline injection. It is currently the only one of its kind in California, and with 20 digesters serving 22 dairies, it is the largest collective dairy biogas operation in the country.
Dairy Digester Program Expands Student Research Opportunities and Supports Jobs
The digester projects provide substantial environmental benefits by improving local air quality. Replacing the open-air lagoons of waste with a covered lagoon digester reduces manure-related emissions. Also, utilizing the methane in near-zero emissions natural gas vehicles replaces diesel vehicles and reduces NOX emissions by an estimated 90%.
Climate-Smart Irrigation in Coachella Valley
With support from CDFA’s State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), the Desert Fresh project lowered irrigation water use by nearly 15 percent while producing the same yield using precision agriculture technology. The system also uses soil moisture sensing technology to identify when the crop needs water and know exactly how much to apply—taking the guesswork out of irrigation.
