One-time funding of $30,000,000 from the Climate Investment Account was appropriated for the 2023-25 biennium to the Washington State Conservation Commission Sustainable Farms and Fields program for organic agricultural waste and greenhouse gas emissions reduction through climate-smart livestock management. View the proviso.

This one-time funding resulted in two new funding opportunities:

  • Alternative Manure Management
  • Research and Demonstration

Dairy Anaerobic Digesters has moved to the Department of Commerce (see the Dairy Anaerobic Digesters section below for more information).

Click here, or scroll to the bottom of this page to watch a Q&A webinar on Climate-Smart Livestock Management funding opportunities. The Research and Demonstration portion of the webinar begins at 41:30.

Click here to sign up for Sustainable Farms & Fields: Climate-Smart Livestock updates.

Research and Demonstration

SCC seeks to fund applied research and demonstration projects that will result in increased adoption of climate-smart livestock management practices and/or improved accounting of the impacts of climate-smart livestock management practices in agricultural settings in Washington.

Preference is for projects focused on NRCS-approved practices, including practices aimed at reducing enteric methane emissions and manure management or application. Other proposed practices will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

This funding is open to conservation districts and other public entities only. Interested producers should reach out to their CD, WSU Extension Office, or local climate-smart government program. All projects must be completed by June 30, 2025.

The application window for the Research and Demonstration funding is closed. To view the FAQ sheet, click here. To view funded projects, click here.

Alternative Manure Management Funding

The objective of this funding is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with manure handling systems from baseline levels at dairy and livestock farms in Washington through grants to conservation districts and other public entities for project implementation.

This funding is open to conservation districts and other public entities only. Interested producers should reach out to their CD, WSU Extension Office, or local climate-smart government program.

Projects must occur on livestock operations where manure is stored in anaerobic (liquid)form and may include multiple components of a manure handling system, associated upstream and downstream components needed to accommodate the change to the manure management system, including transporting manure for eventual field application.

$2,900,000 in reappropriated funding is available in the 2025-2027 biennium to support alternative manure management activities. This funding is from the Climate Commitment Account. SCC expects to announce an application round for this funding in summer 2025— stay tuned!

CARB AMMP Tool

Applicants for SFF Alternative Manure Management are asked to use the CARB AMMP Tool modified for Washington to estimate greenhouse gas emissions reductions for their projects, where possible. SFF Program Manager, Karen Hills, walks through how to use the tool in a webinar from 2024. Please scroll to the bottom of this page to view it.

Dairy Anaerobic Digesters

SCC was appropriated $22,000,000 in the 2023-2025 biennium to fund anaerobic dairy digesters. This appropriation was moved to the Department of Commerce for the 2025-2027 biennium. Please stay tuned to news from the Department of Commerce regarding the next steps for this funding.

Guidelines

Funds provided to conservation districts and other public entities will be utilized consistently with the Sustainable Farms and Fields Program Guidelines, the funding proviso language, and program procedures. Eligible activities will be consistent with the proviso language. More information is being developed.

This opportunity is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA puts cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.

Eligibility

This funding is open to conservation districts and other public entities only. Interested producers should reach out to their CD, WSU Extension Office, or local climate-smart government program.

Forms & Links

Updates

About this Conservation Program

One-time funding of $30,000,000 from the Climate Investment Account was appropriated for the 2023-25 biennium to the Washington State Conservation Commission Sustainable Farms and Fields program for organic agricultural waste and greenhouse gas emissions reduction through climate-smart livestock management.

Funding & How to Apply

Funding is Open

See above for information

Files & Publications

File Name
Summary

Webinars

Find videos and trainings from this program.

Sustainable Farms and Fields Q&A Webinar
February 6, 2024
This round of SFF funding is focused on livestock and manure management projects only.
Sustainable Farms and Fields: CARB AAMP Tool Webinar
March 5, 2024
Learn how to use CARB AMMP Tool modified for Washington.
Conservation 101 - Sustainable Farms & Fields
April 15, 2025
This video introduces the Sustainable Farms & Fields program. This program helps Washington farmers and ranchers adopt climate-smart practices—like cover cropping and no-till planting—through grants and technical support that benefit the climate, soil health, and farm sustainability.

Success Stories from this Grant Program

Come back soon for new stories!