ABOVE: An aerial view of the Folded Hills Farmstead and Shepherd Farms in Gaviota.
CREDIT: J Andrew Hill / PHAROS Creative |
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| Hello,
Spring has sprung in Santa Barbara County: strawberries are at their peak and the abundance of asparagus, peas, artichokes, garlic, freshly dug potatoes, and tender greens of all kinds are hard to miss at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and local food retailers. Ridgeback shrimp and Spot prawns have joined the year-round offerings of live red abalone, sea urchin, oysters, kelp, and fish available from the nutrient-rich waters of the Santa Barbara Channel. Lamb and other recently born grazers can be found dotting the hillsides alongside their parents, protecting our region against impending wildfires and providing quality protein and fiber for our community.
Learn more about the diversity of our region by reading our latest regional highlight on the Gaviota Coast farmers, ranchers, and aquaculturists who are stewarding environmental regeneration practices to help ensure we continue to have access to a thriving and resilient foodshed. See below for more updates on how our region is building resilience, opportunities to take action on local issues, and available funding for your next project. I am especially proud to share that due to the grassroots collective efforts of both our network of food system changemakers and others across the country, the White House earlier this week announced that it will host a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health for the first time in more than 50 years – proof that together, we are making a difference.
As we head into warmer days, opportunities to gather in person are growing, and we look forward to seeing you. Join us on May 16-22 for Taste of Santa Barbara, a week-long Julia Child-inspired celebration of Santa Barbara County’s food and culinary scene. We have curated free and affordable countywide opportunities to engage with and learn from food system actors like you who are doing the work needed to build resiliency into our food system. (See event details below.)
We can’t wait to see you.
Eat well,
Shakira Miracle, Executive Director
Santa Barbara County Food Action Network
P.S. If you aren’t able to join us at Taste of Santa Barbara, consider making a donation to support a more resilient food system for our region. Your gift is critical to our success. |
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Santa Barbara Culinary Experience
Taste of Santa Barbara
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| Join us May 16-22, 2022 for Taste of Santa Barbara, a Julia Child-inspired celebration of Santa Barbara County’s food and culinary scene. Don’t miss SBCFAN-curated signature events that offer opportunities to learn and experience first-hand how food producers are building resilience into our regional food system.
Purchase tickets > |
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Regional Farm Tours
May 20 and 22, 2022
Join local food producers and land stewards to see first-hand how resilience is being built into our local food system from the ground up. Tour countywide farms, ranches, community gardens, and processing facilities demonstrating regenerative and sustainable agriculture and food production practices. Learn more and purchase tickets. |
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Rebuilding Our Food System Panel
May 21, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at SBCC
Learn from local, national, and global leaders who are tackling our most pressing food-related challenges about how place-based, community-led, cross-sector collective action can build a more sustainable, resilient food system in Santa Barbara and beyond. Learn more and purchase tickets. |
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Farmers Market Program
May 21 and 22, 2022
Stop by the Saturday Santa Barbara and Sunday Route One Farmers’ Markets to see, smell, and taste the bounty of our region, and meet food system actors who are helping build a more resilient foodshed. Learn more and purchase tickets. |
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| Photo credit: J. Andrew Hill / PHAROS CREATIVE |
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Regional Highlight
Gaviota Coast
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ABOVE: Grazing cattle at White Buffalo Land Trust’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture at Jalama Canyon Ranch in Lompoc.
CREDIT: White Buffalo Land Trust |
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| California’s largest rural Mediterranean coastline is located right here in Santa Barbara County, just west of the City of Santa Barbara. The rugged Gaviota Coast stretches 76 miles from Eastern Goleta to Point Conception and is one of just a handful of locations worldwide where the geographical landscape lends itself to a diversity of ecosystems, including rangeland, subtropics, and oak woodlands. For more than 200 years, the region’s unique climate and fertile soil have made it an ideal spot for farmers and ranchers to grow food, run cattle, and live off the land.Read more > |
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The White House
Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health
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| On May 4, 2022, the White House announced that it will host a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health for the first time in more than 50 years.Santa Barbara County’s food system changemakers played a role in informing needs on the ground and supporting such a conference. In September of 2021, as part of the Hunger Tour to gather community input, Representative Salud Carbajal toured a number of food access sites across Santa Barbara County, including the UC Santa Barbara Associated Students Food Bank and the Food Access for Farmworkers Program at the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Maria Warehouse. The Foodbank later hosted a roundtable with representatives from countywide organizations including SBCFAN, the County of Santa Barbara Public Health Department, and CenCal Health, who provided critically important and uniquely informed input to Representatives Carbajal and McGovern.
This conference is a step in the right direction for our nation and more specifically our communities across our county – and proof that our collective actions are making a difference. One of the ways food system networks can build regional resiliency is by providing awareness of policy at the local, state, and federal levels that directly affect our communities – and work together to assure more voices are aware of opportunities to inform them.
Learn more about the conference. |
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Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance
Provide Feedback on the Environmental Impact Report
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Provide comments by
Friday, June 3, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
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On May 5, 2022, the County of Santa Barbara released a third Notice of Preparation (NOP) and Scoping Document for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a revised project description for the Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance project. The EIR will consider the potential environmental effects of the project based (in part) on the comments received in response to the NOP.This revised project description expands upon the previous environmental scoping document, to also consider the following changes:
- Add farmstays as a proposed use on lands zoned Agricultural II (AG-II) in the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County.
- Revise premises acreages to align with established acreage ranges in the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Element and County Zoning Ordinances (e.g., 100 acre and 320 acre minimums). The premises acreage ranges apply to proposed campgrounds, educational experience or opportunity, and small-scale events.
Submit your written comments no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 3, 2022 to:
David Lackie, Supervising Planner
Planning and Development Department
123 E. Anapamu St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Dlackie@countyofsb.org
The Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance proposes to allow a variety of uses on land zoned AG-II. One of the uses (incidental food service) is also proposed to be allowed at wineries located on land zoned AG-I. The primary use of the land must continue to be agriculture (e.g., crop cultivation, ranching/grazing); however, this project would allow local farmers and ranchers to pursue incidental and compatible agricultural enterprises that support their existing agricultural operations. Learn more about the project, review the scoping document, and submit comments.
Know someone who should be in the loop? Forward this email. |
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Community Alliance with Family Farmers
Small Farm Conference Recordings
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| If you missed the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) Small Farm Conference in March, you can now watch all of the conference recordings online. From dry farming to expanding markets and reaching consumers, the conference featured over 50 virtual workshops and webinars for farmers, ranchers, and food advocates who support them. Watch the recordings.The Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), one of our critical food system partners, advocates for California family farms, environmental regeneration, and equitable, resilient local food systems. Stay tuned for future collaborative events. |
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U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Opportunity
Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee
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| The USDA is seeking nominations to fill up to 25 seats on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. The advisory group provides recommendations and ideas to the Secretary of Agriculture on issues of importance to the produce industry. This opportunity is open to Growers/Producers, Wholesalers/Distributors, Processors, Importers/Exporters, Farmers’ Market Managers, Food Hubs, Industry Associations, Retailers, Food Service Suppliers, and State Departments of Agriculture.Applications are due by May 31, 2022. Learn more and submit an application. |
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Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program
On a rolling basis until all funds are granted
Who should apply: Santa Barbara County microbusinesses
The County of Santa Barbara, in partnership with the California Office of the Small Business Advocate and Santa Barbara Foundation, is offering a Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program. Eligible microbusinesses that were adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic may apply for up to $2,500 in funding. Over $500,000 available in funding. Learn more and apply.
Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP)
Deadline extended to May 11, 2022
Who should apply: sole proprietor businesses or other entities that engage in – want to engage – in meat and poultry processing
Provides grant funding to expand meat and poultry processing capacity. The maximum award amount is $25 million, or 20 percent of total project costs. There is no minimum award amount. Learn more and apply.
CDFA 2022 Nutrition Incentive Program
Open until May 16, 2022
Who should apply: farmers’ markets, CSA programs, farm stands, small businesses approved by the USDA to accept EBT
Provides grant funding to organizations to provide incentives to nutrition benefit shoppers, support program operations, and outreach. Projects that reach underserved populations, particularly where a large proportion of the population is eligible for CalFresh, will be prioritized. Learn more and apply.
Regional Food System Partnerships Program (RFSP)
Open until May 16, 2022
Who should apply: producers, farmers, ranchers, cooperatives, producer networks or associations, food councils, CSA networks or associations, local governments, nonprofits, economic development corporations, regional farmers’ market authorities, tribal governments
Provides funding to public-private partnerships focusing on increasing the availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products and alleviating administrative and technical barriers. Up to $40 million is available in funding. Learn more and apply.
Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP)
Open until May 16, 2022
Who should apply: agricultural businesses and cooperatives, producer networks and associations, CSA networks and associations, local governments, nonprofits, economic development corporations, food councils, regional farmers’ market authorities, tribal governments
Funds efforts to develop and strengthen direct-to-consumer marketing strategies and support local and regional food businesses acting as intermediaries between producers and consumers. It consists of two subprograms with separate requests for applications:
- Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP): For market startup, operation, infrastructure, training and education, outreach, market analysis and planning, customer and producer surveys, vendor and customer recruitment, and new venue establishment. Learn more and apply.
- Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP): For development, improvement, or expansion of local and regional food business enterprises, meaning organizations or business entities that function as intermediaries between producers (farmers or growers) and buyers. Learn more and apply.
USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities
Open until May 27, 2022
Who should apply: county, city, or township governments, State governments, small businesses, for-profit organizations, nonprofits with or without a 501 (c)(3), higher education institutions, tribal governments
Finances partnerships to support the production and marketing of climate-smart commodities via a set of pilot projects lasting one to five years. Pilots will provide technical and financial assistance to producers who implement climate-smart practices on a voluntary basis on working lands; pilot innovative and cost-effective methods for quantification, monitoring, reporting, and verification of greenhouse gas benefits; and market the resulting climate-smart commodities. Up to $1 billion is available in funding. Learn more and apply.
Watershed Enhancement Solicitation
Open until June 3, 2022
Who should apply: nonprofits, public agencies, tribal governments
Provides funding to implement watershed and community enhancements in areas impacted by cannabis cultivation. Up to $10 million is available in funding. Learn more and apply.
Healthy Refrigeration Grant Program RFP for Technical Assistance Providers
Open until June 10, 2022
Who should apply: businesses, nonprofits, public agencies, tribal governments
Provides funds for energy-efficient refrigeration units in corner stores, small businesses, and food donation programs in low-income or low-access areas to stock California-grown produce, nuts, dairy, meat, eggs, minimally processed, and culturally appropriate foods. Learn more and apply.
Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Competitive Grant Program
Open until June 20, 2022
Who should apply: non-profits
Provides funding to non-profits to increase the number of military veterans gaining knowledge and skills through comprehensive, hands-on farm and ranch programs offered regionally that lead to successful careers in the food and agricultural sector. Learn more and apply.
Review all food system opportunities on SBCFAN’s Classified Advertisements page.
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