The Central Sierra Healthy Soils Program is pleased to share that we have received $4M in funding from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Healthy Soils Program Block Grant in partnership with Resource Conservation Districts in seven counties in the Central Sierra. This funding is dedicated to providing free technical assistance and distributing $3.4 million in direct-to-farmer grants to improve soil health for farmers and ranchers in Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, and Alpine counties. This project is administered in collaboration with the Placer Resource Conservation District, Amador Resource Conservation District, and El Dorado & Georgetown Divide Resource Conservation Districts.

This funding will ensure that at least one project is awarded in each of these eight counties. Additionally, at least 25% of the budget is allocated to producers who identify as Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (SDFRs), for which multilanguage assistance and services will be provided when necessary. After these requirements have been fulfilled, the remaining project funding and support will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Agricultural producers operating in the counties mentioned above who are interested in receiving free technical assistance, working to improve soil health, and implementing conservation practices on their farm or ranch can fill out an interest form at the following link: Central Sierra Healthy Soils Program