Healthy Soils Programme (California, USA)

In California, farmers who wished to shift toward regenerative agriculture faced economic barriers to do so. They often lacked financial capital or were reluctant to make long-term investments in the knowledge and infrastructure needed to transition. Additionally, governments did not have financial instruments (for example, soft loans, grants or subsidies) in place to support farmers in this transition.

The Healthy Soils Programme (HSP) is a state-level programme in California. It remunerates farmers who use practices that improve soil health and mitigate climate change (through carbon sequestration, for example). Now, farmers are paid per acre in which they implement regenerative practices, such as mulching, cover cropping, composting, and no/reduced till. In 2020, the funding allocated was at its highest, reaching €26.7 million (US$28 million).

As a result of this programme, the number of farmers adopting regenerative practices increased notably in California. 2020 saw a peak in the number of applicants and funds requested through the HSP—showing farmers’ rising interest in shifting towards regenerative agriculture.