California Farmers & Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Invest in Climate-Resilient Agriculture – CalCAN
On March 11, dozens of farmers, ranchers, and advocates from across California met with over 30 legislative offices to urge the legislature to take this critical opportunity to invest cap and trade funds in climate resilient agriculture to protect food affordability and farm viability. Legislators and staff had the opportunity to hear firsthand from producers how programs like the Healthy Soils Program (HSP), Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP), State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program (SWEEP), and Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC) improve farm viability and resiliency while reducing carbon emissions. The day was part of our larger campaign advocating for a 15% continuous appropriation of GGRF funding for agriculture.
Engaging with Legislators
The offices of Assemblymembers Macedo, Flora, and Alanis were particularly interested in how AMMP not only reduced methane emissions but had significant co-benefits for farmers. One farmer shared how his manure separator purchased through AMMP allows him to create a high-quality source of compost that saves him money on fertilizers and improves his croplands. Another dairyman spoke about how his “weeping wall” purchased through AMMP has led to significant quality of life improvement, saving him time and labor on manure management. “Weeping walls” trap manure solids in the water used to flush out barns behind a wall of slats, allowing relatively clean water to seep through into storage ponds to be recycled. This separates up to 85% of the manure solids, which can be spread on fields as fertilizer after drying on concrete pads.
Assemblymember Hart met with graziers and technical assistance providers working in and around his district. Nick Filannino of Wild Farm Alliance shared about the hedgerows planted at Bettevaria Farm in Santa Maria, funded through the Pollinator Habitat Program. Hart was interested to learn about a large-scale farm that had successfully adopted healthy soils practices, and wondered if they could host a demonstration tour for other farms in the area.
Grazier Jack Anderson shared that the Healthy Soils Program is heavily oversubscribed and Assemblymember Hart was excited to learn that a CalPoly evaluation found that over two-thirds of HSP grantees plan to use practices like cover cropping and composting after funding ended.
In the same meeting, Cole Bush shared about her work with prescribed grazing through Shepherdess Land & Livestock Co. and the Grazing School of the West. “I’m really interested in growing graziers… there is a growing demand for prescribed grazing in California.” Wildfires are one of the top sources of greenhouse gas emissions in California. Bush said she came to Sacramento to “represent the small agricultural industry at such a critical moment when we as agrarians practice daily solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Supporting us through investments in agriculture directly supports the necessary resilience moving into the future.”
Farmers Speak to Climate Challenges & Urgent Needs
Farmers also raised concerns about climate-related challenges:
- Drought: Anderson shared that the lack of rain in the Central Coast has meant no winter or early spring vineyard grazing, so he has to pay to keep his sheep on irrigated pasture longer than he anticipated.
- Heat stress: Farmers shared that in 2024 the San Joaquin Valley experienced more days exceeding 100 degrees than any year in history. “On 100-degree days, cows produce less milk and chickens produce fewer eggs,” said Mike Weber of Weber Family Farms. The heat stresses nut orchards and row crops lowering yield while increasing production costs.
- Rising Costs: Sean McNamara of Sierra Orchards said, “Farmers have to pass along the costs of climate disasters to their customers if they lose a crop or see a drop in yields. Investments in climate smart agriculture will help keep food affordable for all Californians.”
Keeping the Momentum Going
Legislators and staff were receptive and many requested follow-up communications to learn more about specific programs. Some offices asked about how USDA cuts are affecting California farmers, and how state programs can fill in some of the gaps.
The day wrapped up with a happy hour where participants could deepen connections with each other. McNamara said, “We had a great time and learned A LOT. [We] also made some great connections and hopefully friendships.”
California’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural advocates play a key role in shaping climate policy. How can you help?
- Share your story with us—how has a climate smart agriculture program benefited your operation or community?
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