HARRISBURG, Pa. — U.S. Department of Agriculture Climate Smart Grants are available to dairy producers to help identify and implement climate-smart practices that will benefit their dairy operations. The funding is available through the CARAT project, which stands for climate-smart agriculture that is profitable, regenerative, actionable and trustworthy, and is conducted by Penn State University.
Up to 150 dairy farms will be approved for funding on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will go through a pre-qualification process where they will work with a technical service provider to develop climate-smart plans. From there, 69 dairy farms across three cohorts will be picked. Grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
To be eligible for funding, Pennsylvania dairy farms must have 35 lactating cows or more, or custom dairy heifer facilities with 100 or more dairy heifers. Applicants must also have a Ag E and S or conservation plan and manure management or nutrient management plan in place.
Farms will be notified if they have been accepted into the pre-qualification upon review of their application. Penn State’s CARAT project partners with funding from the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, an initiative of the USDA.
For more information, visit centerfordairyexcellence.org/climate-smart-grants or contact Melissa Anderson at manderson@centerfordairyexcellence.org or 717-788-0296.
