SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Food and Agriculture is now accepting applications for the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, or SWEEP, a competitive grant program that incentivizes farmers to invest in irrigation water and energy efficiency.

Agricultural operations can apply for up to $100,000 for projects that involve improvements to irrigation systems, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save water.

Projects funded through SWEEP commonly include elements such as soil, plant or weather sensors; micro-irrigation systems; pump retrofits or replacements; renewable energy; and variable frequency drives – among others.

Applications are due Monday, December 16, 2019 at 5 p.m. CDFA will hold three no-cost workshops to provide information on program requirements and the application process. Webinar participation is available, but applicants are encouraged to attend in person.

SWEEP application workshops:

Willows – Monday, Oct. 28
2 to 4 p.m.
Glenn County Office of Education
311 South Villa Ave.
Register for webinar participation at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1423354487948559883 

Modesto – Tuesday, Oct. 29
10 a.m. to noon
Stanislaus County Agricultural Center
Harvest Hall, Room DE
3800 Cornucopia WayRegister for webinar participation at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3882162654329651469 

Bakersfield – Wednesday, Oct. 30
9 to 11 a.m.
University of California Cooperative Extension
1031 S. Mount Vernon Ave.
Register for webinar participation at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6168234245452706317 

Potential applicants should review the application materials posted on the SWEEP webpage at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/sweep .

A list of CDFA-contracted technical assistance providers is also available on the SWEEP webpage.

These organizations are available to provide no-cost application assistance to farmers who would like to apply for a SWEEP award.

This round of SWEEP is authorized by the Budget Act of 2018 and funded through the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (SB-5).