California\u2019s Healthy Soils Program Is Mainstreaming Climate-Smart Farming<\/a> The number of farms interested in participating in [CA’s Healthy Soils Program] HSP consistently outpaces the funding… \u201cIf we reflect back on that first year or two, \u201csays Brian Shobe, deputy policy director at California Climate and Agriculture Network, \u201cwe weren’t sure if there would be enough demand. And every year, that funding has increased, and now we’re over 10 times as much funding and we’re seeing growing demand from producers. I think that’s a success in itself.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Santa Cruz organization helps farms transition to green farming systems<\/a> The California Climate and Agriculture Network awarded Sacha Lozano, the program manager for the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, a climate and agriculture leadership award. The honor comes after the group helped local farms transition to more climate-resilient farming systems.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Expansion of a Lucrative Dairy Digester Market is owing Environmental Worries in the U.S.<\/a> Jeanne Merrill, senior policy adviser at the California Climate and Agriculture Network, an advocacy group, said that the\u00a0 prospect that other states will increase herd sizes to capture funding from the state could result in \u201ca perversion of California\u2019s climate programs.\u201d Merrill sat on a working group that California\u2019s state government and regulators convened in 2017 to scrutinize greenhouse gas emissions from livestock and dairy operations and propose solutions.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n AB 2649 – NWL Climate Target bill<\/a> The Legislature could soon approve a measure that would expand on California\u2019s climate plan by adding a more aggressive carbon sequestration goal for natural and working lands. The legislation has gained the backing of more than 80 environmental groups, along with American Farmland Trust, the California Climate and Agriculture Network and the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n National Grid\u2019s pivot to \u2018renewable\u2019 natural gas would require more pipelines, keep producing carbon<\/a> “The California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN), a network of sustainable agriculture advocates, reports that upping the production of manure and decaying food waste could also increase the impacts<\/a> on the local environment because methane is more potent at warming the atmosphere than carbon.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Newsom\u2019s climate plans raise concerns over pesticides and organic farming<\/a> Jeanne Merrill, policy director for the California Climate and Agriculture Network, was glad to see organic agriculture within the scenarios but was worried about the ongoing loss of farmland to development in California. Staff assured Merrill the Scoping Plan update will take into account land use changes, likely by incorporating research from\u00a0California\u2019s Fourth Climate Change Assessment<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Is a State Program to Foster Sustainable Farming Leaving Out Small-Scale Growers and Farmers of Color?<\/a> “A first-come, first-serve award system may be partly to blame, as larger operations with office staff or money to hire a grant writer have been able to secure money more quickly. ‘Those farmers who have fewer resources, and often those were farmers of color, got in their applications later. But the money was already gone,’ said CalCAN\u2019s Merrill.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n California studies what a carbon-neutral future means for its lands<\/a> \u201cIf we don\u2019t change how we\u2019re managing California\u2019s vast natural and working lands, we\u2019re in big trouble when it comes to climate change,\u201d said Jeanne Merrill, the Policy Director at the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN), a coalition of sustainable and organic agriculture organizations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Q&A: Sustainable Farming Expert Weighs in on California\u2019s Historic Investments in \u2018Climate Smart\u2019 Agriculture<\/a> Inside Climate News spoke to Merrill about what the state\u2019s groundbreaking investments in sustainable agriculture can accomplish and what still needs to be done.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Intervention needed on ag carbon markets<\/a> Jeanne Merrill, policy director for the California Climate and Agriculture Network, detailed in her testimony how since 2003, carbon markets have proved themselves an inadequate tool to reach the diversity of farmers and ranchers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n House Ag Committee Hears Needs for Voluntary Carbon Market Expansion<\/a> Jeanne Merrill, Policy Director for the California Climate and Agriculture Network, shared 20 years of history in attempts to create carbon markets, their failures, called for importance to be placed on proven conservation work in the farm bill.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Reconciliation and Climate-Smart: Ag House Budget Plan Offers Big Injection of Funds in USDA Conservation Programs<\/a> Jeanne Merrill, policy director for the California Climate and Agriculture Network, pointed to the failed Chicago Climate Exchange, which had more than 3 million acres before it shut down more than a decade ago. “We have tried for 20 years to make carbon markets work for farmers and failed,” Merrill said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Fresno health officer says climate change is \u2018global poisoning,\u2019 calls for federal action<\/a> \u201cFarmers across the state are struggling right now under the weight of water scarcity, wildfires, extreme heat and of course the challenges of the pandemic on top of the climate impacts that we\u2019re seeing,\u201d said Renata Brillinger, executive director of the California Climate and Agriculture Network.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Farming Without a Net<\/a> \u201cFor a long time we were seeing an increase in both large and small farms, but in the last ag census we saw a decline in small farms,\u201d said Jeanne Merrill, policy director at California Climate and Agriculture Network, or CalCAN, a coalition of sustainable and organic farming organizations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Hundreds of organizations support investment in food systems<\/a> As UN calls for cutting methane emissions, California trims back funding<\/a> Should ranchers have a pass to rescue animals behind fire lines?<\/a> Proposed bond legislation clears Assembly Ag Committee<\/a> “‘This bill will provide the resources that farmers and ranchers need to cut climate pollution and maintain a viable and sustainable agriculture in California,’ Jeanne Merrill, policy director with CalCAN, said in the statement. ‘It\u2019s time to invest in our food and farming infrastructure of the future.'”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Lawmakers Asked for More Support for Conservation Programs<\/a> \u00a0“The letter states…’<\/a>Technical assistance is essential for the delivery of conservation support for farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners across the country by providing capacity and conservation planning to support conservation practice implementation.’ Signatories of the letter include American Farmland Trust, the National Association of Conservation Districts, the California Climate and Agriculture Network, American Society of Agronomy.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Proposed bond measure seeks to improve state’s food system<\/a> “‘California is home to some of the most innovative farmers in the country, and they are very well positioned to help reduce climate-related pollution and Assembly Bill 125 will do just that,’ said Jeanne Merrill, policy director of the California Climate and Agriculture Network.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Webinar Looks at Ways to Finance ‘Sustainable Ag’<\/a> “At the state level, \u201cclimate smart\u201d programs in California have pulled climate-related issues like these to the forefront. CalCAN was founded in 2009 and focuses on legislative policy shifts and on building healthy models for healthy soils and other farmland conservation methods. [Jeanne] Merrill also said that lucrative finance programs need to be more relevant to diverse farmers, offer technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers and offer incentives, if work on climate mitigation is to be viable.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n How Bay Area farms could give Biden a blueprint for fighting climate change<\/a> “The California government has had several grant programs for climate-smart agriculture, which generated a lot more interest in switching over to these practices, said Renata Brillinger, executive director of advocacy group California Climate and Agriculture Network. In her ideal world, there would be even more grant programs to keep that momentum going.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Carbon sequestration bill returns to Legislature<\/a> “Assemblymember Robert Rivas of Hollister has revived a bill<\/a> aimed at sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in natural and working lands. The Nature Conservancy and the California Climate and Agriculture Network are cosponsors of the bill.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Assemblyman Rivas introduces legislation to help set climate goal, capture carbon on natural and working lands<\/a> “State Assemblyman Robert Rivas introduced Assembly Bill 284…sponsored by…California Climate & Agriculture Network, would require the California Air Resources Board to work in collaboration with relevant state agencies to set an overall climate goal for the state\u2019s natural and working lands to capture carbon, while identifying best practices and policy incentives to achieve that goal.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Newsom’s budget offers a few carrots. But farm groups fear the stick will be next<\/a> “Many in agriculture were\u00a0skeptical<\/a> when lawmakers were developing a legislative mechanism for the fund last year. ‘Farmers are unlikely to take on additional debt, particularly small, diversified and socially disadvantaged farmers, as well as the state\u2019s dairy farmers, who have been operating in a deficient state for several years,’ said Jeanne Merrill of the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN).”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Gov. Newsom’s draft budget funds sustainable ag<\/a> “‘It’s a really nice surprise,’ said Renata Brillinger, executive director of the California Climate and Agriculture Network, or CalCAN. ‘We didn’t think there would be any funding for these programs, so this is a pretty rosy financial picture compared to what was projected.'”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Proven programs, not false hops — engaging farmers in climate solutions\u00a0<\/a> “The climate crisis requires urgent action and farmers can be part of the solution. We cannot waste time or resources on approaches that have not worked. It is time for bold, decisive action, building on existing, successful efforts, to ensure U.S. agriculture not only survives in the face of climate change but thrives.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Urban sprawl threatens more farmland, warns climate group<\/a> “In a new report, the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN) reviewed two incentives programs aimed at developing affordable housing and conserving ag lands. Funding for the programs has been drying up this year as cap-and-trade revenues continue to decline.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Report: Covid-19 could slow climate-investment progress<\/a> Burroughs family earns statewide award for its sustainable farming east of Denair<\/a> “Burroughs Family Farms, a diverse organic venture in the hills east of Denair, has won a statewide honor for its efforts…’Everything is about regeneration, rebuilding and resilience,’ Rosie said…”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Rosie and Ward Burroughs are CalCAN Advisors<\/em><\/p>\n California Conservation Programs Serves as Example of What Works, Or Not<\/a> “Farmers are pragmatic people. If they see a benefit to their business, they jump on it regardless of the state’s motives,” said Renata Brillinger, executive director of the California Climate and Agriculture Network, or CalCAN. “The state’s primary motive is to reduce greenhouse gases, but farmers may be motivated by agronomics.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Daybreak: CalCAN issues progress report on Healthy Soils<\/a> “In recognition of Healthy Soils Week, the California Climate and Agriculture Network, or CalCAN, issued its progress report<\/a> on CDFA\u2019s Healthy Soils Program. The advocacy group noted a few places for improvement, such as prioritizing farmers of color, women farmers, smaller farmers and those leasing land, and adding incentives for transitioning to organic.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Daybreak<\/a> “‘I have no doubt we will leave behind richer soils, greener pastures and bluer skies for the next generation.’ \u2014 Brian Shobe, associate policy director for the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN), in presenting a progress report<\/a> on CDFA\u2019s Healthy Soils Program.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Newsom Wants Farmers to Help Fight Climate Change But Provides No New Funding for the Effort<\/a> These are the kind of sustainable practices that farmers can reasonably accomplish, Renata Brillinger, executive director of California Climate and Agriculture Network, an advocacy group known by its acronym CalCAN, said. Improving soil health continually actually helps farms themselves in a number of ways, she said, including making more fertile conditions and improving yields and water availability.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n California Wine Country Struggle to Rebound Amid Devastating Fire Season<\/a> Climate Smart Agriculture Funding at Risk<\/a> “SWEEP is a really popular program. It’s one of the first that started, when it comes to the, the suite of climate smart agriculture programs that California has launched. These are programs that don’t exist as comprehensively anywhere else in the world. We’ve really blazed a trail here.” – Renata Brillinger<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Op-ed: “Kiss the Ground” Misses the Complexity of Climate Solutions in the Soil”<\/a> “It\u2019s not only awareness and individual choice that will help solve the climate crisis: it takes all the players, big and small, to engage in organized advocacy to influence policy. Systemic change is possible only if there are public investments in agriculture\u2019s climate solutions that are accessible, just, multi-beneficial, and support the business of farming.” – Becca Lucas<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Are Carbon Markets for Farmers Worth the Hype?<\/a><\/p>\n Civil Eats, September 24, 2020.<\/p>\n “…Jeanne Merrill, policy director at the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN), weighed in on the difference between private carbon markets and Healthy Soils program<\/a>. It wasn\u2019t clear how much farmers would benefit, she said…Merrill pointed to public policy as a more promising solution, provided there\u2019s enough funding to go with it.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n A Most \u2018Sustainable\u2019 Vineyard in a \u2018Completely Unsustainable\u2019 Year<\/a> States are Doing What Big Government Won\u2019t to Stop Climate Change, and Want Stimulus Funds to Help<\/a> Farmers and ranchers across the US deliver letter to House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis<\/a> The 2020 wildfires and Bay Area’s food and wine supply: what you need to know<\/a> California Democrats divided over carbon sequestration goals for agriculture<\/a> “In her testimony supporting the bill, Jeanne Merrill, the policy director for the California Climate and Agriculture Network, countered that the measure preserves a farmer\u2019<\/span>s flexibility and diversity in determining agricultural practices.’ Nothing in AB 2954 would require the state to impose regulations on agriculture to limit or change the types of crops grown in California,’ she said, adding the bill would instead scale up CDFA\u2019<\/span>s successful efforts with the Healthy Soils Program.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n California Initiative to Fight Plastic Pollutions Submits Petitions to Qualify for Statewide Ballot<\/a> California plastics vote headed to 2020 ballot<\/a> Helping Farmers Manage Risk<\/a> Sustainable Farming Practices Must Have Buyer Support<\/a> For Some California Farmers, a Virus-Driven Drop in Emissions Could Set Back Their Climate Efforts<\/a> New surprises in the evolving budget bills<\/a> A Proud California Dairy Farmer Battles for Survival in Wildly Uncertain Times<\/a> Assessing the cost of climate impacts before they \u2018collapse\u2019 ag<\/a> Assembly advances proposal for cutting ag’s climate footprint<\/a> Are Dairy Digesters the Renewable Energy Answer or a \u2018False Solution\u2019 to Climate Change?<\/a> Alternative Manure Management Program<\/a> Grants Available for Soil Health<\/a> 4 Strategies for slashing dairy methane emissions<\/a> Making farms more climate resilient might protect California from wildfire damage<\/a> Farming in the Age of Climate Change<\/a> Way out past Denair, a family farms in a way that could help save the planet<\/a> Can Big Ag Be Part of the Climate Solution?<\/a> Farmers are living the facts of climate change. By focusing on soil, they can lead the way on climate adaptation.<\/a> The Greenhouse Gas No One\u2019s Talking About: Nitrous Oxide on Farms, Explained<\/a> U.S. farmers plant crops you won’t eat in climate change fight<\/a> Programs, funding help mitigate climate impacts<\/a> Climate change may decimate California’s avocado industry<\/a> Will Indigo Ag’s New Private Carbon Market Pay Off for Farmers?<\/a> ‘Centers of Insurrection’: Central Valley Farmers Reckon With Climate Change<\/a> A Time of Reckoning in the Central Valley: Climate change is upending agriculture and land use in California’s Central Valley<\/a> California falls short on climate smart farming investments<\/a> Win-loss budget outcomes for ag climate programs<\/a> Letter to the Editor: Farming and Carbon<\/a> Climate Change is Intensifying Food Shocks<\/a> Letter to the Editor: Reducing Our Carbon Mouthprint<\/a> California is making a weak effort to turn agriculture into a climate change fix<\/a> Climate change transforms how California farmers grow crops<\/a> Climate change tax for dining out? California restaurants add 1% fee to the bill<\/a> California Farmers Try New Strategy to Cut Carbon<\/a> Letter to the Editor: Farmers reacting to a changing climate<\/a> Growing Awareness: Climate Change and California’s Crops<\/a> California Has Farmers Growing Weeds. Why? To Capture Carbon<\/a> Food at the Heart of a Green New Deal<\/a> Forget the past, carbon-rich soil may be the ticket to sustainable agriculture<\/a> Organic farm east of Denair does its part on climate change<\/a> Wet weather worries almond growers. CVP water allocations. Rominger Brothers Farms.<\/a> As Awareness Grows About Food’s Role In Climate Change, What Solutions Exist?<\/a> Legislation would provide grants to aid ag’s reaction to climate change<\/a> Climate Change and the Food We Eat<\/a> Climate and agriculture: Recommendations for California’s next governor<\/a> Climate change requires quick action by San Diego farmers<\/a> How Will California\u2019s Climate Ambitions Reshape Food and Agriculture?<\/a> Growers try carbon farming to help combat climate change<\/a> 10 Ways Farmers Can Fight Climate Change<\/a> Climate Smart Agriculture in Yolo County<\/a>
\nCivil Eats, November 2022<\/p>\n
\nKSBW 8, November\u00a028, 2022<\/p>\n
\nInside Climate News, September 22, 2022<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, August 8, 2022<\/p>\n\n
\nGothamist, May 6, 2022<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, January 26, 2022<\/p>\n
\nInside Climate News, January 4, 2022<\/p>\n
\nFERN, November 15, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nInside Climate News, October 7, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nFarm Progress, September 30, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nBrownfield, September 23, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nProgressive Farmer DTN, September 23, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nThe Fresno Bee, September 17, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nInside Climate News, September 7, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nMorningAg Clips, June 1, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, May 19, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, April 19, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nDavis Enterprise, April 18, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nAgNet West, April 9, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nThe Morgan Hill Times, March 16, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nLancaster Farming, March 2, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nSF Chronicle, February 12, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, January 25, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nBenito Link, January 21, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, January 20, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nCapital Press, January 19, 20, 2021.<\/p>\n
\nThe Hill, January 4, 2021.
\nOp-ed written by CalCAN Policy Director Jeanne Merrill and NSAC member Oregon Tilth Executive Director Chris Schreiner<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, December 18, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nDaily Republic, December 18, 2020.<\/p>\n[Jeanne] Merrill said in a phone interview Wednesday that there are Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program opportunities in Solano County. In fact, the focus of the program fits closely with efforts by the Solano County Transportation Authority, as well as the city projects.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nThe Modesto Bee, December 11, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nCapital Press, December 4, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, December 3, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, December 2, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nPeninsula Press, November 19, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nCheddar, October 8, 2020.
\nRenata Brillinger discusses how California’s wine country can rebound after this year’s wildfires.<\/p>\n
\nCalifornia Ag Today, October 9, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nCivil Eats, October 8, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nInside Climate News, September 16, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nInside Climate News, September 9, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nGlobal Ag Media, September 1, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nSan Francisco Chronicle, August 27, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-pulse, August 18, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nWaste360, August 12, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nPlastic News, August 11, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nCalifornia Ag Today, August 6, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nCalifornia Ag Today, July 31, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nInside Climate News, June 26, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-pulse, June 24, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nInside Climate News, June 22, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, May 28, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nAgri-Pulse, May 14, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nCivil Eats, April 24, 2020.<\/p>\n
\nCalifornia Ag Today, April 2, 2020<\/p>\n
\nCalifornia Ag Today, March 30, 2020<\/p>\n
\nThe Daily Churn, January 24, 20202<\/p>\n
\nSacramento Bee, Dec. 5, 2019<\/p>\n
\nValley Public Radio, Nov. 22, 2019<\/p>\n
\nModesto Bee, Oct. 7, 2019<\/p>\n
\nCivil Eats, Sept. 25, 2019<\/p>\n
\nFresno Bee, Sept. 20, 2019<\/p>\n
\nCivil Eats, Sept. 19, 2019<\/p>\n
\nBloomberg, August 15, 2019<\/p>\n
\nWestern Farm Press, July 31, 2019<\/p>\n
\nSalon.com, July 26, 2019<\/p>\n
\nWritten by CalCAN Policy Director Jeanne Merrill.<\/em>
\nCivil Eats, July 11, 2019<\/p>\n
\nKQED, June 23, 2019<\/p>\n
\nBay Nature, June 23, 2019<\/p>\n
\nMorning Ag Clips, June 16, 2019<\/p>\n
\nDaily Republic, June 14, 2019<\/span><\/p>\n
\nCalCAN partner Joseph Brinkley of Fetzer Vineyards writes about their recent study to quantify climate benefits of soil management and land conservation, as well as the need for investments in California\u2019s Climate Smart Agriculture Programs.
\n<\/em>Press Democrat, June 2, 2019<\/p>\n
\nCivil Eats, May 30, 2019<\/p>\n
\nCalCAN Executive Director writes about California’s Climate Smart Agriculture programs and an upwelling of related state policy activities across the nation.<\/em>
\nNew York Times, May 15, 2019<\/p>\n
\nLos Angeles Times, May 13, 2019<\/p>\n
\nKCRW, May 2, 2019<\/p>\n
\nUSA Today, May 1, 2019<\/p>\n
\nNPR Environment, Apr. 27, 2019<\/p>\n
\nBakersfield.com, Apr. 18, 2019
\nCalCAN partner Nate Siemens of Fat Uncle Farms weighs in on agricultural climate adaptation.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nCapital & Main, Apr. 22, 2019<\/p>\n
\nKQED, Apr. 22, 2019<\/p>\n
\nEarth Island Journal, Mar. 12, 2019<\/p>\n
\nEast Bay Times, Mar. 3, 2019<\/p>\n
\nModesto Bee, Mar. 2, 2019<\/p>\n
\nInterview with CalCAN Farmer Advisor Bruce Rominger. Mention of CalCAN around 20:45.<\/em>
\nKSTE Farm Hour, Feb. 27, 2019<\/p>\n
\nCivil Eats, Feb. 19, 2019<\/p>\n
\nDaily Republic, Feb. 10, 2019<\/p>\n
\nKPFA radio, Nov. 9, 2018<\/p>\n
\nInstitute for Agriculture & Trade Policy, Oct. 31, 2018<\/p>\n
\nCivil Eats, Oct. 24, 2018<\/p>\n
\nCivil Eats, Oct. 9, 2018<\/p>\n
\nPress Democrat, Sept. 11, 2018<\/p>\n
\nKQED, Sept. 7, 2018<\/p>\n
\nDavis Enterprise, June 9, 2018<\/p>\n