On Thursday, April 17, the Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS) joined the Solano County Farm Bureau for a farm tour through Yolo and Solano County. This wasn’t just any field visit—this tour highlighted the power of local decision-making in advancing climate-smart agriculture.
Thanks to funding from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the Solano County Farm Bureau was a recipient of a both Healthy Soils and SWEEP Block Grant. With this grant, they were able to facilitate their own application process—empowering the local community to identify, prioritize, and implement projects that are specifically tailored to the region’s unique agricultural and environmental needs. This localized approach allows for more customized support, streamlined communication, and hands-on technical assistance that resonates with producers and partners on the ground.
Seeing Water Efficiency and Healthy Soils in Action
Our tour kicked off at Robben Ranch, where we witnessed a State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) project in action. With a $40,000 grant, the ranch installed a tailwater recycling system and flow meter to improve irrigation efficiency and reduce water waste. Farm Manager Aaron Black and Solano County Farm Bureau’s, technical assistance provider Katie Simpson-Johnson of Blankinship & Associates shared how their collaboration helped bring this project to life—from application to implementation—ensuring the system would have long-term benefits for both the farm and the environment.
Next, we visited Tim Bolla, of Bolla Farms, a recipient of the Healthy Soils Program (HSP), who is implementing several practices – compost application, hedgerow establishment, riparian forest buffer planting, and range planting. With support from the Solano Resource Conservation District, Tim’s project is enhancing soil health, increasing biodiversity, and sequestering carbon—key goals of the Healthy Soils initiative.
We then met Sean McNamara, of Sierra Orchards, an organic farmer leading the way in sustainable innovation. Sean is repurposing walnut shells to create his own compost, participating in Whole Orchard Recycling, and has also benefited from past SWEEP funding to enhance water use efficiency by installing drip irrigation. His multi-faceted approach to farming underscores how different programs can work together to create synergies that drive long-term resilience.
Our final stop was at Sparks Ranch, where Karina Sparks is leveraging SWEEP funding and technical assistance to replace an outdated irrigation pump and install a network of soil moisture probes and pressure sensors. These upgrades are expected to reduce energy and water use, while improving crop management and productivity.
Why it Matters
Throughout the day, we heard directly from growers, grant administrators, and technical assistance providers about why these funding opportunities matter—not just for farm viability, but for environmental and ecological sustainability. The projects we visited are improving soil health, conserving water, reducing energy use, boosting biodiversity, and increasing resilience to climate extremes.
What stood out most was the value of local leadership. By enabling organizations like the Solano County Farm Bureau to manage their own grant application solicitations, producers can design projects that reflect local conditions, foster trust, and deliver more personalized support.
OARS is proud to work alongside these partners to advance California’s climate smart agriculture goals. We’re grateful for the growers and organizations who hosted us, and we look forward to supporting more projects that keep our agricultural lands thriving for generations to come.
For a full list of Healthy Soils Block Grant Recipients click here.
For a full list of SWEEP Block Grant Recipients click here.
