Water is critical to any farm success which keeps the Central Valley’s producers and ranchers attuned to the region’s wet and dry cycles. Drought occurs when there is an extended period of below normal precipitation in back-to-back wet seasons with no sufficient water storage (e.g. reservoirs, groundwater basins, etc). High temperatures in the subsequent dry seasons further strain water availability and farmers quickly feel the effects.
Agricultural operations feel drought impacts in a variety of ways: rangeland grasses don’t grow and ponds dry up requiring ranchers to purchase hay and water for livestock to eat and drink; producers don’t receive surface water deliveries for irrigation and for those with no access to groundwater, a dry well or broken pump, the growing season can be a total loss. Thus, drought can have severe economic impacts. Small farms have a hard time recovering financially and preparing for the next growing season.
In 2023, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), through their California Underserved Small Producers (CUSP) Program, provided Sierra RCD with a block grant of $825,000 to distribute economic relief grants to producers and ranchers that experienced drought impacts. Sierra RCD held a round in Winter 2023/2024, offering financial support to farmers and producers impacted by the 2020-2023 drought.
Sierra RCD received 78 applications, of which 46 were eligible for funding and 37 were awarded Drought Relief Grants. Awards ranged from $1,200 to $20,000, with most awards being $20,000. The CDFA’s program limited individual awards to $20,000 and prioritized historically underserved* producers and ranchers.
The next opportunity to apply to Sierra RCD’s CUSP Drought Relief Grant is coming in November 2024 for the remaining amount of $221,720. See California Underserved and Small Producers Program (CUSP) | Sierra Resource Conservation District (sierrarcd.com) for details on eligibility and reimbursable expenses, or call Sierra RCD Agriculture and Rangeland Program staff at (559) 260-3802.
* 2017 Farmer Equity Act AB 1348 states that a “socially disadvantaged group” means a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender discrimination. These groups include the following: Black and African American, Native American, Alaskan Native, Latino/Latina and Hispanic, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander.
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