​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC)

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Announcements

Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC) Draft Guidelines Now Available for Public Comment; Online Public Workshops March 13th and 15th. 

February 10, 2023 - The California Strategic Growth Council and the Department of Conservation (DOC) are pleased to announce the release of the 2022-2023 (Round 9) Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC) Draft Guidelines​. DOC will host two workshops to share program information and to solicit public input. Draft guidelines will be available for public comment through March 17, 2023

To learn more, please join us for one of the workshops below. Both workshops will have the same content, will discuss all three components of the program, and will have virtual and in-person options. Feel free to attend whichever workshop best fits your schedule. 

Workshop 1- Northern California
(Virtual and in-person)
CNRA Building, Sacramento

Monday March 13, 2023
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. ​

​​Workshop 2- Central and Southern California​​​
(Virtual and in-person)
  • Central CaliforniaCooperative Extension, Merced
  • Southern California: San Diego Farm Bureau, Escondido

Wednesday March 15, 2023
1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. ​​


Please note: Additional location and parking details are provided with registration materials​

​​​​What will be discussed?
  • SALC Program overview
  • Guidelines overview and updates
  • Important dates and timelines
How can I comment?

Draft guidelines will be available for public comment through March 17, 2023.​

FY 2022-23 (Round 9) SALC Dates and Deadlines
(subject to change):

  • Draft Guidelines available for public comment: February 10, 2023
  • Public comment workshops: March 2023
  • Public comment closes: March 17, 2023
  • Guidelines approved/released: April SGC meeting
  • Acquisition pre-proposals due: June 16, 2023
  • Planning pre-proposals due: June 30, 2023
  • Capacity applications due: July 21, 2023
  • Acquisition and Planning applications due: September 8, 2023

​SALC Round 8 Guidelines and Round 9 Draft Guidelines 
Follow this link to view SALC Round 8 Final Guidelines and Round 9 Draft Guidelines

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 Climat​e ​Inv​estments (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. ​
 ​​​​
Please see the SGC website for more information about the AHSC Program​

 ​Related ​Li​nks

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 mo​re information, visit California Climate Investments.

California Climate investments logo ​​



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