Working Lands

Carbon sequestration is the natural process of plants taking in CO2 from the atmosphere and, through a biochemical interaction between the roots, the soil, and microorganisms, storing that CO2 in the soil profile. Rangeland and cropland, including publicly and privately managed lands, comprise a large portion of the land base in California and in San Mateo County. Active management of working lands can enhance the rate of carbon sequestration in soils and vegetation, therefore carbon farming (i.e., the suite of practices that brings about more sequestration) has a critical role to play in helping San Mateo County develop resilience to climate change while simultaneously reducing atmospheric greenhouse gases driving climate change. The measures in this sector are designed to reduce emissions and sequester carbon in working lands.

Goals:

2030: Sequester 39,000 MTCO2E (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) of carbon and carbon in soils and vegetation
Support ranchers and farmers to plan, implement, and scale climate beneficial practices on the county’s working lands
Increase resilience to climate change impacts, improve water quality and soil health, and enhance and increase habitat for pollinators and wildlife

Summary of Strategies

Policy L-1: Identify new financing to scale carbon farming

L-1.1	Carbon farming investments. Implement a County funding program, such as Santa Clara County’s Agricultural Resilience Incentive, for farmers and ranchers to implement and maintain climate beneficial practices.
L-1.2	External funding programs for carbon farming. Support the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (SMRCD) and other land partners to leverage private, and regional, state, and federal funding for producers’ implementation of climate beneficial agricultural practices. Develop a program or mechanism for San Mateo County businesses, philanthropic institutions, and supportive community members to support local carbon farming projects.
L-1.3	Compost procurement. Where feasible, County-procured compost through SB 1383 compliance should be made available to producers at a reduced cost or for free.
L-1.4	Cost saving methods. Explore opportunities for establishing a bulk purchasing program for cost savings, such as for cover crop seed.
L-1.5	Climate-beneficial communications. Assess potential of a communication or labeling program to raise awareness of climate beneficial agricultural practices of San Mateo County producers, potentially as part of As Fresh As It Gets.(13) Assess potential of such program to increase revenue for producers.
L-1.6	Public benefit communications. Assess and report the estimated public benefits and cost savings provided by climate beneficial agricultural practices to the agricultural and larger San Mateo County communities.

(13) https://www.smccvb.com/fresh-as-it-gets/

Policy L-2: Support technical assistance, education, and data collection efforts to scale climate beneficial agriculture

L-2.1	Technical assistance provider support. Support the SMRCD and other land partners in providing technical assistance to agricultural producers to scale carbon farming and GHG emission reducing practices. Support adequate staffing for technical assistance providers to undertake outreach, planning, implementation, monitoring, and maintenance.
L-2.2	On-farm research and demonstration. Support trials, research, and monitoring by the SMRCD and other land partners to refine local data on carbon sequestration and GHG emission reduction occurring from existing and new climate beneficial practices.
L-2.3	Educational opportunities for land managers. Support the SMRCD and other land partners in providing educational opportunities to assist producers in evaluating and adopting climate beneficial agricultural practices.

Policy L-3: Secure access to key implementation infrastructure to advance climate beneficial agriculture

L-3.1	Carbon farming implementation infrastructure access. Support development of key infrastructure, such as a bulk purchasing program for cost savings for carbon farming. Investigate feasibility of equipment share or low-cost rental program to increase access to essential equipment to facilitate carbon farming practices, such as a compost spreader or no-till drill, and, if feasible, support and finance equipment purchasing, coordination and maintenance of such a program. Improve and increase the availability of high quality and affordable local agricultural compost.
L-3.2	Climate beneficial practices that reduce GHG emissions. Support work to improve irrigation efficiency and increase use of on-farm GHG emission reducing equipment and alternative energy, such as solar. Fund chipping program to reduce annual burning of pruning waste. Assist in the development of infrastructure that supports the local agricultural economy while reducing travel, such as development of agricultural services or markets in San Mateo County. Support efforts that assist producers with agricultural waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. Ensure that woody material removed for fuel load reduction projects be recycled into a beneficial use, such as compost or biochar. Investigate feasibility of procuring a mobile pyrolysis facility and establish shared funding mechanism for ongoing costs of repair and maintenance. Partner with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) to assess the feasibility of establishing an incentive program that would help producers plan for and install solar panels and battery storage for on-farm operations. Partner with PG&E and PCE to provide producers with on-farm energy audits to identify energy efficiency opportunities and connect them to existing county and statewide energy upgrade programs, including incentives, rebates, and financing.
L-3.3	Progress tracking. Develop a platform for tracking and reporting on climate goals and on-farm benefits of climate beneficial agricultural projects.

Policy L-4: Address permitting barriers to implementing climate beneficial agricultural practices

L-4.1

Permit barrier identification and minimization.

Assess local permitting and ordinances to identify barriers to efficient and effective planning and implementation of climate beneficial agricultural practices.
Participate in statewide Cutting Green Tape initiative.
Engage in efforts to reduce regulatory barriers to efficient and effective climate beneficial agricultural practices.
Align local regulations to statewide streamlining permitting efforts for on-farm composting and climate beneficial agricultural practices.

Policy L-5: Ensure agricultural lands are preserved for agricultural production

L-5.1

Agricultural land preservation. Support efforts to improve access, tenure, and ownership for next generation and new and beginning farmers and ranchers.

Policy L-6: Support carbon sequestration and ecological restoration on natural lands

L-6.1

Stewardship and ecological restoration on natural lands.

Explore opportunities to encourage and support ecological restoration efforts where feasible.
Explore opportunities to provide tribal access to land for cultural activities and events that are dedicated to tribal members as well as shared opportunities for members of the broader public to visit the land and learn about and tend native plants. Support development of accompanying place-based public education opportunities focused on local microclimates, indigenous plant communities, and land stewardship.

L-6.2

Carbon sequestration on natural lands and urban green space. Develop strategies through diverse stakeholder participation for carbon sequestration and climate adaptation on natural lands and urban green spaces.