GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS
Ikuko (Coco) Nakano & Johnagustin Zecua
Ventura County Resource Conservation District
April 2025
AGRICULTURE IN VENTURA COUNTY
VENTURA COUNTY AG
$2B
#10
42K
Agriculture generated over $2.12 billion in gross sales for 2022.
Ranked 10th in agricultural production in the state and country in 2022.
People employed by Ventura County’s farms and ranches. With 95% born outside of the US and ~53% Spanish speaking only
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VENTURA COUNTY AG
2022 TOP CROPS
Total # Farms: 2,135
Sales: 99% crops, 1% livestock, poultry, and products
Irrigated Cropland: 95,785 acres
FARM STATS
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VENTURA COUNTY AG
FARM SIZE
FARM STATS
Family Farms – 92%
Farm Organically - 5%, ~13,000 acres
Hispanic, Latino, Spanish origin owned – 17%
New and beginning farmers – 27%
Have Internet Access – 81%
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1-9 acres | 45% |
10-49 acres | 33% |
50-179 acres | 12% |
180-499 acres | 6% |
500-999 acres | 2% |
1,000 + acres | 2% |
OPEN GRANTS AT VCRCD
CUSP DROUGHT RELIEF PROGRAM
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OBJECTIVE
Awards of up to $20,000 for eligible losses/expenses related to drought incurred since 2017
Small to medium California farmers making less than $400,000 in annual gross sales or less than $1 million for dairy operations
Ikuko (Coco) Nakano
Johnagustin Zecua
¡Hablo Español!
ELIGIBILITY
MAIN VCRCD CONTACTS
vcrcd.org/cusp/
CUSP EXTREME WEATHER RELIEF PROGRAM
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OBJECTIVE
Awards of up to $20,000 for eligible losses/expenses related to extreme weather (wildfire, hail, extreme wind, etc.) incurred since 2017
Small to medium California farmers making less than $400,000 in annual gross sales or less than $1 million for dairy operations
Ikuko (Coco) Nakano
Johnagustin Zecua
¡Hablo Español!
ELIGIBILITY
MAIN VCRCD CONTACTS
vcrcd.org/cusp-extreme-weather/
HEALTHY SOILS PROGRAM (HSP)
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OBJECTIVE
Awards of up to $200,000 for implementing eligible healthy soil practices
Compost application, cover cropping, hedgerow planting, mulching, range planting, and many more!
Emily Nye
Johnagustin Zecua
¡Hablo Español!
EXAMPLES
MAIN VCRCD CONTACTS
vcrcd.org/hsp-bgr/
ORGANIC TRANSITION PILOT (OTP) PROGRAM
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OBJECTIVE
Awards of up to $60k and technical assistance for active agricultural land that is undergoing a mandatory 3-year transition in preparation for organic certification
University, research and non-profit organizations’ farms are not eligible for assistance
Emily Nye
Johnagustin Zecua
¡Hablo Español!
ELIGIBILITY
MAIN VCRCD CONTACTS
vcrcd.org/otp/
WATER EFFICIENCY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (WETA)
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OBJECTIVE
The WETA grant offers free irrigation evaluations for farmers. Evaluations include a distribution uniformity test and an assessment of irrigation system efficiency.�
Johnagustin Zecua
¡Hablo Español!
MAIN VCRCD CONTACTS
vcrcd.org/weta/
INTERACTIVE IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT TO REDUCE THE LEACHING OF NITROGEN (IIMRLN)
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OBJECTIVE
Installs a free Nutrient and Irrigation Management Station. The station includes soil moisture sensors, a lysimeter, ET device, rain bucket, and monthly sampling for one year.
Applicants must be located within the Calleguas Creek Watershed, Ventura River Watershed, or Santa Clara River Watershed
Johnagustin Zecua
¡Hablo Español!
ELIGIBILITY
MAIN VCRCD CONTACTS
vcrcd.org/iimrln/
APPLICATION CLOSES APRIL 25TH!
AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL WATER QUALITY ASSISTANCE (AEWQA)
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OBJECTIVE
Covers up to 60% of the hardware/material costs for on farm improvements to mitigate pesticide and nutrient runoff and improve water quality
Irrigation management, water-use efficiency, and sediment and nutrient management practices, and others.
Johnagustin Zecua
¡Hablo Español!
EXAMPLES
MAIN VCRCD CONTACTS
vcrcd.org/aewqa/
CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM (CAPGP)
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OBJECTIVE
Provides free technical and planning assistance to agricultural operations in Ventura County to identify actions for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and land stewardship.
Focus areas include climate resilience, drought resilience, and water quality. Plans may include Nutrient Management Plans and Carbon Farm Plans.
Johnagustin Zecua
¡Hablo Español!
MAIN VCRCD CONTACTS
vcrcd.org/capgp/
VCRCD OPEN GRANT PROGRAMS SUMMARIZED
DROUGHT RELIEF
EXTREME WEATHER RELIEF
HEALTHY SOILS PROG.
IRRIGATION EVALS (WETA)
NIM STATIONS (IIMRLN)
AG/ENVIRO WATER QUALITY ASSISTANCE (AEWQA)
CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE PLANNING(CAPGP)
ORGANIC TRANSITION
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THANK YOU
Ikuko (Coco) Nakano
Agricultural Environmental Systems Specialist
Johnagustin Zecua
Resource Conservation Technician
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