Davis, CA – June 10, 2022 California growers are always hunting for new ways to conserve water and use less energy, especially in drought years like this one. With an innovative grant program, the California Department of Food and Agriculture makes it easier than ever for growers to fund these projects.
The CDFA’s State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) provides grants to growers looking to save water or reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The 2021 SWEEP program awarded $43 million to fund 283 grower projects!
SWEEP grants not only help growers save money on water and energy costs but the program has also had lasting environmental benefits. CDFA estimates that SWEEP projects will help save more than 38 BILLION gallons of water annually. And greenhouse gas emission reductions from the program are equivalent to taking 17,500 cars off the road each year.
But it may be the case that many growers are unaware of these potential financial and environmental opportunities. “Over the winter trade show season, our team at Tule was shocked by how few growers seemed to be aware of CDFA’s SWEEP program,” said Tule CEO and co-founder Tom Shapland, Ph.D. “This summer, we’re on a mission to change that.”
Tule is hosting a series of five workshops and recruiting industry experts to help teach growers about SWEEP & how to get started with the application process. Tule, HotSpot AG, and Innovative Ag Services are teaming up to educate growers about SWEEP and share how to save water and energy.
Innovative Ag Services provides grant writing and other services to various agricultural operations. They can answer growers’ SWEEP questions and assist with applications. Tule and HotSpot AG both provide growers with tools to help save water and energy that are eligible for funding through SWEEP grants.
The application window for SWEEP typically opens in October and runs until January or when all designated grant funding is awarded, whichever comes first. However, growers should prepare for the process before harvest begins. Any grower interested in learning more about the summer workshops should visit www.tuletech.info/sweep-grants.
About Tule
Tule helps growers make irrigation decisions. Founded in 2014, Tule (pronounced “too-lee”) combines cutting-edge artificial intelligence with in-the-field agronomic expertise to provide growers with the information to make the best irrigation decisions to meet production goals. The UC Davis research-based Tule sensors provide growers with crop water use measurements, water stress measurements, applied irrigation measurements, and irrigation recommendations.
About HotSpot AG
HotSpot AG was developed on a 4th-generation farm. As farmers, they know it results from the thousands of tasks they do throughout the year that makes a successful harvest. HotSpot AG’s vision is to empower the 21st-century farm with tools to simplify farm management and make those thousands of tasks routine. They combine the greatest in available technology and service to deliver solutions used by all levels of personnel on a farm.
About Innovative Ag Services
Innovative Ag Services (IAS) provides the highest value of professional services to the agriculture industry with uncompromising integrity. Our commitment to this mission is demonstrated by our very loyal clientele and an outstanding reputation in the industry. IAS was founded in 2007 to address complex agronomic and regulatory challenges faced by agriculture producers and processing facilities in California. Our experienced team of agronomists, farm management consultants, government funding, GIS, and environmental permitting specialists are equipped and ready to provide professional services for a wide variety of agriculture operations.
