Sacramento, CA — The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) 2024 Dairy Plus Program made $58 million in competitive grants available to California dairy farms for the implementation of advanced manure management practices that address both methane emissions and nutrient surplus. The program is supported by federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative.
Administered by CDFA’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation, Dairy Plus is designed to supplement two of the state’s existing dairy methane programs — the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) and the Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP) — by extending funding to new and previously awarded projects.
What the program funds
The 2024 Dairy Plus Program provides supplemental funding across four project categories:
- New 2024 AMMP projects, paired with Dairy Plus funding.
- New 2024 DDRDP projects, paired with Dairy Plus funding.
- New 2024 DDRDP projects proposed by dairies that have previously completed an AMMP project.
- New Dairy Plus projects proposed by in-progress or previously awarded AMMP or DDRDP recipients.
Grant terms
- Funding is provided at $750 per cow, up to a maximum of $1,250,000 per project.
- Projects carry a 24-month performance period.
- Grants are paid on a reimbursement basis following invoice submission.
Eligible applicants include individual farmers and Tribal Governments with established Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm records, completed AD-2047 forms, Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation (HELC/WC) compliance certification, and non-foreign status.
Applications for the 2024 round were accepted from July 23 through October 18, 2024. Dairy producers interested in current and future funding opportunities, program guidelines and award results can find the latest information from CDFA’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation.