California Farm Grants, Loans & USDA Subsidies (2026)

Top Crops

Grapes, Almonds, Strawberries, Lettuce, Tomatoes

Top Livestock

Dairy, Cattle, Poultry

Programs Available

23 USDA programs

Upcoming USDA Deadlines

RMA 30 DAYS LEFT

Federal Crop Insurance — Fall Crops

Deadline: Varies by county — Sep 30 for winter wheat in many areas. Sales closing date for winter wheat and other fall-planted crops. RMA sets the date per county and crop — confirm yours with a crop insurance agent.

View all deadlines & countdowns →
📅 View deadline calendar →

Grants & USDA Funding Open Now

Powering Affordable Reliable Technology (PART) Energy Program

Rural Utilities Service

Spatial Ecology and Chronic Wasting Disease Dynamics of Wild White-tailed and Mule Deer in Northern Colorado

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service · Closes: Aug 31, 2026

The Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) anticipates awarding $413,380 in cooperative agreement funding to support one project ...

Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program

National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Closes: Sep 01, 2026

CYFAR marshals the resources of the Land-grant and the Cooperative Extension Systems so that, in collaboration with other organizations, they can develop and deliver educational programs to youth w...

Rural Housing Preservation Grant

Rural Housing Service · Closes: Sep 08, 2026

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces a notice in funding availability under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public age...

All 23 USDA Programs for California Farmers — Sorted by Deadline Urgency

EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program)Subsidy45d

NRCS · Deadline: ~Oct 15

Cost-share payments (typically 50-75%) for conservation practices: cover crops, fencing, water systems, nutrient management, erosion control, and more. Value: Cost-share typically 50-75% of practice cost (up to 90% for beginning, limited-resource, and veteran farmers). The previous $450,000 payment cap does not currently apply under the farm bill extension. Beginning farmers get 90% cost-share instead of 50-75%. Apply at your local NRCS office.

SARE Farmer/Rancher GrantGrant76d

NIFA (via SARE regions) · Deadline: ~Nov 15

Grants for on-farm research into sustainable practices. Test cover crops, rotational grazing, reduced tillage, new varieties — and get paid to do it. Value: $5,000–$30,000 depending on SARE region (individual or team project). This is one of the few competitive grants designed for individual farmers (not universities). Apply at your SARE regional office (online application).

DMC (Dairy Margin Coverage)Subsidy106d

FSA · Deadline: ~Dec 15

Protects dairy producers when the margin between milk price and feed costs shrinks. Premiums are low — Tier 1 coverage at $9.50 margin costs pennies per cwt. Value: Depends on production history; Tier 1 (first 5M lbs) premiums: $0.003–$0.15/cwt. Tier 1 coverage at $9.50 is almost always worth it — the premiums are extremely low relative to the protection. Apply at your local FSA office.

LFP (Livestock Forage Disaster Program)SubsidyJan

FSA · Deadline: ~Jan 15

Payments to livestock producers who graze on drought-affected pastures. Triggered automatically by Drought Monitor designations — you may already be eligible. Value: Monthly payment rate × months of qualifying drought (up to 5 months). $30-$80+/head. This is TRIGGERED BY DROUGHT — check droughtmonitor.unl.edu for your county. Apply at your local FSA office.

ARC-CO (Agriculture Risk Coverage — County)SubsidyMar

FSA · Deadline: ~Mar 15

Provides revenue loss protection when actual county crop revenue drops below a benchmark. Payment is automatic once enrolled — no claim needed. Value: $8–$75/acre depending on crop and county revenue shortfall. You must choose ARC-CO OR PLC for each crop, not both. Apply at your local FSA office.

PLC (Price Loss Coverage)SubsidyMar

FSA · Deadline: ~Mar 15

Provides price protection when the national average price for a covered commodity drops below its reference price. Pays on base acres, not planted acres. Value: $0–$125+/acre depending on how far price drops below reference. PLC pays bigger when prices crash below reference price. Apply at your local FSA office.

Federal Crop InsuranceSubsidyMar

RMA · Deadline: ~Mar 15

Government-subsidized crop insurance. The government pays ~60% of your premium. Protects against yield loss, revenue loss, or both. Value: Premium subsidy saves $5–$30+/acre; coverage at 50-85% of expected revenue. If you grow row crops, crop insurance is worth exploring. Apply at Through a private crop insurance agent (not FSA/NRCS).

CSP (Conservation Stewardship Program)SubsidyApr

NRCS · Deadline: ~Apr 15

Annual payments for maintaining and improving existing conservation practices. If you're already doing cover crops, no-till, or rotational grazing — you may already qualify. Value: $4,000–$40,000+/year depending on acres and practices (minimum raised from $1,500 to $4,000 in FY2024). Most overlooked program — it pays you for conservation you're already doing. Apply at your local NRCS office.

VAPG (Value-Added Producer Grant)GrantApr

Rural Development · Deadline: ~Apr 15

Grants for farmers creating value-added products — farm-to-table, artisan cheese, craft meats, specialty jams, agritourism, etc. Value: Planning: up to $50,000; Working Capital: up to $200,000 (requires 1:1 match, FY2026). If you're turning raw products into something with higher value (cheese, jerky, wine, flour, etc.) this grant can fund your launch. Apply at grants.gov or USDA Rural Development state office.

FMPP (Farmers Market Promotion Program)GrantApr

AMS · Deadline: ~Apr 15

Grants to establish, expand, or promote farmers markets, roadside stands, CSAs, and other direct-to-consumer channels. Value: $50,000–$500,000. Best for farmer cooperatives, market associations, or producers selling direct to consumers. Apply at grants.gov.