{"id":193,"date":"2025-08-05T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/?p=193"},"modified":"2025-08-04T19:19:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T02:19:07","slug":"a-note-from-our-director-august-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/08\/05\/a-note-from-our-director-august-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"A Note from Our Director | August 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Tawny-Image-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-197\" style=\"width:325px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Tawny-Image-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Tawny-Image-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Tawny-Image-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Tawny-Image-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Tawny-Image.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dear Stakeholders,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I hope you enjoy this newsletter showcasing the accomplishments of our grantees and partners and giving you a peek at how we lead our programs to serve producers while contributing to the state\u2019s sustainability goals. Additionally, I want to take this opportunity to summarize the funding status of OARS programs, so you know which opportunities are in the future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">OARS expects to receive $65M in funding for our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars\/healthysoils\/BlockGrantProgram.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Healthy Soils Block Grant Program<\/a> (HSP) and $40M in funding for our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars\/sweep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">State Water Efficiency Enhancement Block Grant Program<\/a> (SWEEP) from <a href=\"https:\/\/resources.ca.gov\/Bonds-Oversight\/Proposition-4-Climate-Bond\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Proposition 4 &#8211; Climate Bond<\/a> and we tentatively plan to offer all of that funding as part of one funding opportunity in fall 2025. Through Prop 4, OARS also expects to receive $15M for a new Equipment Sharing Program (ESP) that will require extensive stakeholder consultation before opening for applications in 2026. The legislature has not appropriated the Prop 4 funding, and the state is still in the process of finalizing rules and guidelines for using the funding. The timeline of these two key external processes may affect OARS\u2019 timeline.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All state funding appropriations have an \u201cexpiration date,\u201d and it is always our goal to give grantees a generous grant term within that expiration date to allow for bumps in the road. To that end, we will keep pushing forward with refining framework for the HSP and SWEEP solicitations at our August 15<sup>th<\/sup> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars\/efasap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel<\/a> (EFASAP) meeting, followed by a written public comment period and simultaneous stakeholder workshops that will inform the final Request for Grant Applications. We look forward to your participation and help refining our block grant model.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars\/dairyplus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dairy Plus Program<\/a>, which is a subaward from the California Dairy Research Foundation of a grant funded by the USDA Alternative Markets for Producers initiative (formerly the Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities program), is ongoing but undergoing federal review and revision. This program funds infrastructure on dairies that reduces greenhouse gases and improves nutrient management, and we have approximately $58M remaining in the budget for new grants to producers. We are hopeful that we will be able to announce the results of the 2024 solicitation and run a new solicitation soon, pending a final and functioning grant agreement. At this time, there is no additional funding for the Alternative Manure Management Program and Dairy Digester Research and Development Program.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lastly, the Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis received a $1.5 million increase in spending authority and an increase in the amount of agricultural mill fee the office can use. Using reserve funding first, OPCA will use the spending authority to address increased research costs, meet the Program activities identified in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdpr.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/spm_roadmap.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Roadmap<\/a>, and perform increased consultative work for\u202fthe Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), as required by <a href=\"https:\/\/leginfo.legislature.ca.gov\/faces\/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2113\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Assembly Bill (AB) 2113 (Chapter 60, Statutes of 2024)<\/a>. In the short term, the increase will also go towards funding our Biologically Integrated Farming System (BIFS) grant program at $1-3 million a year and support for the California IR-4 Project. As AB 2113 related work increases, OPCA will increase spending on research awards related to regulatory work and decrease BIFS Funding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We will be in contact with you through our mailing list with all updates related to our grant programs. If you know organizations who are likely to be good applicants or partners for these programs, particularly those that serve socially disadvantaged and underserved producers, please encourage them to sign up for our mailing list and reach out to us directly for more information.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">May the rest of your summer be full of delicious in-season California berries, stone fruit, and tomatoes. I know I\u2019ve been doing my part to support that part of our agricultural economy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sincerely,&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Tawny&nbsp;Mata<br>OARS Director<br>CDFA Science Advisor<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear Stakeholders,&nbsp; I hope you enjoy this newsletter showcasing the accomplishments of our grantees and partners and giving you a peek at how we lead our programs to serve producers while contributing to the state\u2019s sustainability goals. Additionally, I want to take this opportunity to summarize the funding status of OARS programs, so you know &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/08\/05\/a-note-from-our-director-august-2025\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">A Note from Our Director | August 2025<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":201,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4],"tags":[7,3,8],"class_list":["post-193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-informational","tag-healthy-soils-program","tag-information","tag-state-water-efficiency-and-enhancement-program","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-image-3-2.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":175,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/07\/28\/technical-assistance-program-builds-statewide-partnerships-in-climate-smart-and-conservation-agriculture\/","url_meta":{"origin":193,"position":0},"title":"Technical Assistance Program Builds Statewide Partnerships in Climate Smart and Conservation Agriculture\u00a0","author":"Sureena Johl","date":"July 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The OARS Technical Assistance (TA) Program is critical to realizing the OARS mission: \u201cto use the best available science and knowledge from the agricultural community to design and implement practical solutions to California\u2019s natural resource challenges that improve the environmental and economic sustainability of producing nutritious food, fiber, and energy.\u201d\u00a0\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Informational&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Secretary Ross gives an inspirational talk to Technical Assistance Providers on the importance and impact of their work at the 2024 OARS TA Conference.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TA-Conference_2024_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TA-Conference_2024_1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TA-Conference_2024_1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TA-Conference_2024_1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/02\/20\/new_office_name\/","url_meta":{"origin":193,"position":1},"title":"Introducing OARS: A New Name for a Stronger Agricultural Future","author":"oars-admin","date":"February 20, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"We\u2019re excited to announce that our office has a new name: The Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS). This change reflects our commitment to strengthening agriculture while addressing future challenges. Alongside the name change, we\u2019ve introduced a unified logo, symbolizing our shared mission across programs. This rebrand marks the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Informational&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Untitled-4.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":171,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/07\/28\/investing-in-impact-how-the-oars-team-helps-deliver-climate-solutions-on-california-dairy-and-livestock-farms\/","url_meta":{"origin":193,"position":2},"title":"Investing in Impact: How the OARS Team Helps Deliver Climate Solutions on California Dairy and Livestock Farms\u00a0","author":"Sureena Johl","date":"July 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The CDFA Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS) is dedicated to supporting California's dairy and livestock farmers in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As proof of that, the CDFA\u2019s Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) and Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP) awarded nearly $25 million\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Informational&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A technical assistance provider and rancher are reviewing data at a dairy farm","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AdobeStock_289583412_Preview-e1753726652620.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AdobeStock_289583412_Preview-e1753726652620.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AdobeStock_289583412_Preview-e1753726652620.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AdobeStock_289583412_Preview-e1753726652620.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":318,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2026\/05\/05\/healthy-soils-week-in-action-at-twin-peaks-orchards\/","url_meta":{"origin":193,"position":3},"title":"Healthy Soils Week in Action at Twin Peaks Orchards","author":"Sureena Johl","date":"May 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On April 9,\u00a0Healthy Soils Week was\u00a0marked\u00a0with a\u00a0memorable\u00a0tour of Twin Peaks Orchards in Newcastle,\u00a0offering a firsthand look at how state investments in soil health are supporting resilient farms and sustainable food systems across California. The Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability\u00a0(OARS)\u00a0partnered\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Community Alliance of Family Farmers\u00a0(CAFF)\u00a0to bring together\u00a0legislative staffers,\u00a0CDFA\u00a0personnel, and a\u00a0Cal Recycle\u00a0team\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Producer Success Story&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Producer Success Story","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/producer-success-story\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260409_204604315_iOS-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260409_204604315_iOS-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260409_204604315_iOS-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260409_204604315_iOS-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260409_204604315_iOS-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260409_204604315_iOS-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":87,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2025\/03\/28\/water-efficiency-technical-assistance-weta-program-supports-producers-with-no-cost-irrigation-system-evaluations-and-pump-efficiency-tests\/","url_meta":{"origin":193,"position":4},"title":"Water Efficiency Technical Assistance (WETA) Program Supports Producers with No-Cost Irrigation System Evaluations and Pump Efficiency Tests","author":"Sureena Johl","date":"March 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"As the 2025 irrigation season is upon us in California, farmers can consider reaching out to a technical assistance provider funded by the OARS Water Efficiency Technical Assistance (WETA) program. WETA provides funds to technical assistance providers to complete irrigation system evaluations and pump efficiency tests, as well as provide\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Informational&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2015_40-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2015_40-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2015_40-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2015_40-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2015_40-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/2015_40-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":327,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/2026\/05\/05\/a-note-from-our-director-may-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":193,"position":5},"title":"A Note from Our Director | May 2026","author":"Sureena Johl","date":"May 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Dear Partners and Stakeholders,\u00a0 Spring is in full swing and, as always, we are energized by seeing the fields come alive with bee boxes, new plantings,\u00a0fascinatingly complex farm equipment, and, of course, farmers hard at work stewarding the land and bringing food to our tables.\u00a0\u00a0 At the beginning of\u00a0Healthy Soils\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Informational&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Informational","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/category\/informational\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Blog-image-5-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Blog-image-5-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Blog-image-5-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Blog-image-5-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Blog-image-5-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":203,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193\/revisions\/203"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/oars-blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}