The California Air Resources Board is making $135 million available under its Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions, or FARMER, program. The funds available through the FARMER program provide significant assistance to California farmers who face the most stringent air quality requirements in the nation. Farmers can apply to their local air districts to receive funding for voluntary agricultural vehicle and engine replacements. The FARMER program provides funding for:
- Heavy-duty truck replacements;
- Mobile off-road farm equipment replacements;
- Agricultural irrigation pump replacements;
- Zero-emission agricultural all-terrain vehicles (ATVs);
- Off-Road Mobile Agricultural Equipment Trade-Up Pilot Project (only available in the San Joaquin Valley)
Attached are electronic versions of flyers to publicize the program in both English and Spanish as well as contact information for local air districts with direct allocations. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District will receive 80 percent of the funds, with the remaining 20 percent of funds shared between air districts in the rest of the state and distributed based on ag equipment emissions and basin attainment status. Applications will be accepted by local air districts. There are 18 air districts with less than 1 percent of emissions from ag equipment that have been grouped together and will all apply for funds through one air district, which will be announced shortly. Please share the attached program flyers with your members, but do not make any changes to them. Some air districts will fund applications on a first-come-first-served basis, so interested farmers should contact their air districts soon. More information will be posted on our website shortly (look for it under the Advocacy tab, Top Issues page, under “Environment”) and look for a Page 2 in an upcoming Ag Alert.