Eligible Block Grant Recipient Organizations:<ul><li>Non-profit organizations</li><li>California Native American Tribes</li><li>Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs)</li><li>University of California, California Community Colleges or California State Universities</li></ul>“…must have demonstrated expertise in disbursement of funds and outreach for agricultural practices. If they do not have sufficient in-house capabilities to meet certain… Objectives, lead applicants are encouraged to partner with organizations who have experience in:<ul><li>one-on-one organic management technical assistance</li><li>language translation</li><li>business planning</li><li>access to organic networks</li><li>outreach to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers</li></ul>Eligible Farmers and Ranchers:Farmers:<ul><li>Over 18 years of age</li><li>Commercial farmers or with plan for marketing produce</li><li>Lease, own, or otherwise have stable tenure or access to the field(s)</li></ul>SDFRs: African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Hawaiians and Pacific IslandersNote:<ul><li>“Multiple individual farmers may not receive funding to transition the same physical fields.”</li><li>“Block Grant Recipients should strive to obtain participation from a broad group of farmers and ranchers that are geographically and socially distributed…”</li></ul>

California Organic Transition Pilot Program (OTP) Guide

The Organic Transition Pilot Program was created by the Budget Act of 2022 and is supported with $10 million in allocations from the Budget Acts of 2022 and 2023. The purpose is to provide support to farmers and ranchers who prepare land for organic certification. The program is designed as a block grant to be administered through organizations that demonstrate the expertise and partnerships needed to accomplish the program’s objectives. These objectives include the disbursal of financial assistance, technical assistance, project follow-up, application assistance, business planning, and translation services. The Pilot has a strong emphasis on equity, where at least 50% of beneficiaries should be Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers. As such, it seeks to support diverse farmers and ranchers in their transition to organic production.

The Organic Transition Pilot Program is aligned with the suite of Climate Smart Agriculture incentive programs administered by CDFA’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation. It also aligns with a Recommendation in California’s Climate Change Scoping Plan Update of 2022, the state’s roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, to expand organic acreage in California.

Financial assistance disbursed to farmers and ranchers can be spent on a wide range of eligible costs for transitioning acres to organic farming, and a field-preparation award can help to build soils for successful organic production.

Grant

California

Eligibility

Eligible Block Grant Recipient Organizations:

Non-profit organizations
California Native American Tribes
Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs)
University of California, California Community Colleges or California State Universities

“…must have demonstrated expertise in disbursement of funds and outreach for agricultural practices. If they do not have sufficient in-house capabilities to meet certain… Objectives, lead applicants are encouraged to partner with organizations who have experience in:

one-on-one organic management technical assistance
language translation
business planning
access to organic networks
outreach to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers

Eligible Farmers and Ranchers:

Farmers:

Over 18 years of age
Commercial farmers or with plan for marketing produce
Lease, own, or otherwise have stable tenure or access to the field(s)

SDFRs: African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

Note:

“Multiple individual farmers may not receive funding to transition the same physical fields.”
“Block Grant Recipients should strive to obtain participation from a broad group of farmers and ranchers that are geographically and socially distributed…”