Agricultural Equipment Funds To Go Green

Statewide Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions (FARMER) program flyer

Tuolumne County, CA — Funds to replace old agricultural equipment and vehicles with cleaner equipment that helps reduce emissions and greenhouse gases are now available for 17 of California’s smaller air districts.

In the fiscal year 2021–22, the statewide Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions, or FARMER, program received $212 million. About $8.5 million is designated for districts that contribute less than 1% of total statewide emissions from agricultural equipment. FARMER funding is administered by California’s regional air districts, and agricultural entities apply by submitting an application to their local air district. The Tuolumne County Air Pollution Control District Grant Program is underway and runs through the end of the month, Wednesday, August 31st.

District officials provided this list of eligible vehicles and equipment that must be engaged in agricultural operations:

• On-road heavy-duty trucks;
• Off-road vehicles, such as tractors;
• Logging and forestry operations equipment
• Stationary and portable engine sources, such as agricultural pumps; and,
• Infrastructureengaged in or supporting agricultural operations.

*The term “Agricultural Operations” are defined, in part, as:

(1) the growing or harvesting of crops from soil (including forest operations) and the raising of plants at wholesale nurseries, or the raising of fowl or animals for the primary purpose of making a profit, providing a livelihood, or conducting agricultural research; or

(2) Agricultural crop preparation services include only the first processing after harvest, not subsequent processing, canning, or other similar activities. For forest operations, agricultural crop preparation services include milling, peeling, producing particleboard and medium-density fiberboard, and producing woody landscape materials.

For more details and applications, click here or call the Tuolumne County Air Pollution Control District at 209-533-5693.