Almond growers get funding for water efficiency

As California's almond growers scramble to cut water use, reduce dust and foster sustainability, they are receiving lots of help in funding from multiple sources.

The state of California is expected to provide financial assistance; federal aid also will be available.

Sources for that assistance were presented at a meeting of the Almond Board of California. It brought together representatives of the state and federal governments, an air quality specialist and others.

Jesse Roseman, principal analyst for environmental and regulatory affairs with the Almond Board, opened the program with a mention of 2025 goals: improving water use efficiency by 20%, reducing harvest dust by 50%, arriving at zero waste and improved pest management.

Roseman said many incentivized practices support achievement of those goals, including irrigation and nutrition management improvement, help in purchasing low-dust harvesters, whole orchard recycling, mating disruption and groundwater recharge.

Available state funding includes $150 million for alternatives to open agricultural burning in the San Joaquin Valley; $70 million for the Healthy Soils Program; $60 million for the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program; $30 million for pollinator habitat; $20 million for conservation planning; $5 million for water use efficiency assistance; $2 million for the BeeSafe Program; and $2 million for small farms and underserved communities.

Federal aid through the U.S. Department of Agriculture will come from $5 billion for Build Back Better funds to help climate resilience and mitigation, $11 billion for pandemic assistance for producers and $21.7 million in assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Carlos Suarez, state conservationist with NRCS, said California is one of four states where a pilot program has been launched. The others are Arizona, Oregon and Colorado. California received more than half the $41.7 million in funding for the program at $22.8 million. It provides funding for the next five years.

RaeAnn Dubay, assistant state conservationist, said assistance comes from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, and Conservation Incentive Contracts.

The new program was authorized under the 2018 Farm Bill. The fiscal year 2021 focus was on drought resiliency and climate. The program is to be expanded nationally next year.

The pilot is a "stepping stone for producers from EQIP to (the Conservation Stewardship Program)," Dubay said. It allows producers to implement elements of CSP on a smaller scale. It provides additional stewardship opportunities for producers based on priority resource concerns in a high-priority area.

High-priority areas include the Klamath Basin and the San Joaquin Valley. Others include range and pastureland and forests.

Producers are encouraged to contact their NRCS field office for a complete list of practices covered under the program and enhancements that go beyond basic practices. Contracts can include enhancements only or enhancements and practices, but must include at least one enhancement. There is a payment limitation of $450,000 for EQIP and $200,000 with CSP.

Geetika Joshi, senior environmental scientist with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, talked about the state's Healthy Soils Program, which provides up to $100,000 for implementation of conservation management that improves soil health, sequesters carbon and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

The program offers demonstration projects that showcase California farmers and ranchers implementing conservation practices.

Practices that are encouraged for orchards and vineyards include application of compost, use of cover crops, filter strips, mulching, planting hedgerows, nutrient management, residue and tillage management, whole orchard recycling and use of windbreaks.

There were 11 almond grower projects funded at $315,589 in 2017, 13 funded at $793,665 in 2018 and 107 funded at $8 million in 2020. The 2020 boost came because of an uptick in whole orchard recycling.

Other CDFA programs include the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, or SWEEP; the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program; the Fertilizer Research and Education Program; the Proactive IPM Solutions Program; and the Biologically Integrated Farming Systems Program.

The SWEEP program has spent $20.5 million on 217 almond projects since 2014. There is also a proposed Pollinator Habitat Program with expected funding of some $30 million.

Ryan Villane, air quality specialist with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, talked about financial assistance the district is providing to assist with low-dust, nut harvester replacement, replacement of tractors and alternatives to agricultural burning.

The district will pay for half the cost of a new harvester, he said, and funding is limited to $150,000 per application. Applicants may submit as many as five applications.

Applicants are potentially eligible for 75% funding for equipment operated within a 7-mile radius of the Shafter community boundaries.

The applicant must have owned and operated equipment to be replaced for the past two years. New equipment must be the cleanest available. The incentive amount is based on the horsepower of the new equipment.

Some funding for replacement of stationary agricultural irrigation pumps is also available. Alternatives to agricultural burning include orchard removals, and material must be reincorporated into soil or applied to land on the grower's property. The grower must certify the continued farming use of the property.

Kelli Evans, with Evans Agricultural Consulting, talked about the Farm Service Agency and the California Agricultural Mediation Program. She said the program can be an effective tool for farmers experiencing challenges with farm loans, creditors, neighbors, leases or USDA agencies.

Mediation is free to any producer for debt and credit issues, family farm transitions, leases, neighbor disputes and more.

Discussions and notes made during mediation cannot be shared unless everyone agrees to do so. Evans said statistically 75% of mediations result in an agreement. For more information, visit www.calamp.org. Also farmers.gov/fund highlights assistance from the Farm Service Agency, including direct farm ownership loans up to $600,000 and direct farm operating loans up to $400,000, direct farm ownership and operating micro loans up to $50,000, guaranteed farm loans, funding for beginning farmers and more.

(Dennis Pollock is a reporter in Fresno. He may be contacted at agcompollock@yahoo.com.)