​​​TEMP-09

Provide Resources to Farmers, Ranchers, and Landowners to Reduce Vulnerabilities to Changing Climatic Circumstances

Implementation

Actively engage with the local University of California Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Farm Services Agency (FSA) to support farmers, ranchers, and landowners in understanding the vulnerabilities of their operations to variable weather events and increased disease and pest pressures, due to a changing climate, and implement adaptation strategies and management practices. The County may work with the Sacramento County Farm Bureau, resource conservation districts, and other organizations to engage the agricultural sector.

Adaptation strategies and best management practices could include, but are not limited to, data-driven irrigation systems and long-term infrastructure enhancements, cover crops, no-till or reduced tillage practices, composting, prescribed grazing, and the planting of adapted cultivars and crops.

Benefits: Providing resources to Sacramento County’s farmers, ranchers, and landowners will reduce the potential for commodity and crop loss from excessive pests, disease, and increased temperatures and will improve the industry’s adaptive capacity.

​Timeframe: Midterm​​


​​​​​​​​​​​​Started

The efforts for this measure have started. ​​

​Status of Implementation

The Sustainability Manager hired a CivicSpark Fellow for the 2023-2024 service year who developed the County's comprehensive Carbon Farming Informational Webpages. As part of the project, the County coordinated with local- and State-level resource conservation districts and associations, coordinated with local compost producers to develop lunch and learn events, coordinated with the agricultural commissioner, and utilized the USDA COMET-Planner tool to evaluate the greenhouse gas mitigation and/or carbon sequestration benefits potential for Sacramento County lands that could utilize carbon farming practices. 

The Fellow also supported and interfaced with the County's Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force, particularly the Agricultural member and one of the Environmental Justice members who is a Sacramento State professor helping the County bridge its carbon farming efforts with those of the University and its faculty. 

The County continues to hold seasonal compost giveaways and has expanded the program to include a new location at Gibson Ranch Park and will continue to conduct outreach and media events including free compost deliveries to local community gardens. 

​The County also continues to coordinate and maintain relationships with the U.C. Extension office and the relevant U.C. farm advisors.

Updated 9/10/24.