Announcements
Announcing Round 8 Sustainable Agricultural Land Conservation Awards!
December 15, 2022 – Today the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) approved over $74 million in grants to protect 54,000 acres of agricultural lands at risk of development. The investments are part of Round 8 of the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC), a state program protecting agricultural lands, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening primarily rural economies.
Round 8 SALC Guidelines and Documents
Follow this link to view SALC Round 8 Guidelines and documents.
About SALC
The SALC Program supports agricultural land conservation, economic growth, and sustainable development by providing grants for three types of projects:
-
Land Use Planning grants that support the development of local and regional land use policies and economic development strategies to protect critical agricultural land
-
Agricultural Conservation Acquisition grants to permanently protect croplands, rangelands, and lands utilized for the cultivation of traditional resources from conversion to non-agricultural uses.
-
Capacity and Project Development grants to expand organizational capacity to develop agricultural conservation acquisition projects.
The California Strategic Growth Council’s (SGC) SALC Program is a component of SGC’s
Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (AHSC). SALC complements investments made in urban areas with the purchase of agricultural conservation easements, development of agricultural land strategy plans, and other mechanisms that result in GHG reductions and a more resilient agricultural sector.
The program invests in agricultural land conservation with revenue from the
California Climate Investments (CCI) Fund, made available for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing additional benefits to California communities. CCI is derived from quarterly cap-and-trade auction proceeds, which are administered by the California Air Resources Board.
The Department of Conservation works in cooperation with the Natural Resources Agency and the SGC to implement the program.
Related Links
About California Climate Investments
SALC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities. For more information, visit California Climate Investments.
Would you like SALC updates delivered to your inbox?