California Dairy Research Foundation Relaunches Climate-Smart Grant as Advancing Markets for Producers Initiative

The California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF) last month announced the relaunch of its U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant, now a part of the Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) Initiative. The

USDA grant program was transitioned into the current AMP initiative, focused on Farmer-First priorities. Thanks to its strong emphasis on supporting dairy farmers, CDRF’s grant will move forward as part of this new federal initiative, building upon California’s efforts to enhance agricultural resiliency.

At the center of this effort is the Dairy Plus Program, managed by CDRF and the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS). The Dairy Plus Program provides incentive funding for advanced manure management technologies, technical assistance, and measurement of environmental benefits, while working to create new market opportunities for sustainably produced commodities.

The Dairy Plus program helps producers to reduce emissions, address nitrogen and salt surpluses, and tackle other key environmental challenges. Through collaboration with the CDFA-OARS, California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), cooperatives, technology providers, academic partners, and others, the project aims to strengthen both environmental outcomes and the economic resilience of California dairy farms.

In 2024, CDRF and CDFA awarded a total of $16.7 million to fund 14 California dairy farm projects, aligned with the state’s Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP) and Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP). With the relaunch under AMP, the program is now positioned to invest an additional $58 million in upcoming project opportunities. Selectees from among the 2024 Dairy Plus Program applications will soon be awarded, for a total of up to $26.8 million, with details of this announcement to be shared from CDFA later this month. Additionally, a third solicitation for project applications is expected to open in early 2026.

The relaunch comes at a pivotal time, as dairy farmers face increasing regulatory, environmental, and market pressures. With USDA and CDFA support and broad dairy sector collaboration, this AMP initiative will expand implementation of practices that promote long-term sustainability and create new revenue opportunities for dairy farmers.

For more information on the Advancing Markets for Producers and the Dairy Plus Program, visit cdrf.org.