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FARMER GRANTS | Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District

FARMER GRANTS | Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District

Phone number
530‑832‑0102 ext 3 – contact phone for Melissa Klundby.
Category
Farmer
Auto tags
Farmer Grants
Air Quality Improvement
Grant Funding
Eligibility
Farmers and operators of agricultural equipment in California; equipment must be used in farming and meet emission tier requirements (when applications are open).
Auto Summary
NSAQMD's FARMER Grants (which fund replacement of old agricultural tractors, trucks, pumps, and UTVs) are paused — no funding will be awarded in 2026. Farmers in Nevada, Plumas, and Sierra counties should monitor myairdistrict.com/farmer-grants, call Melissa Klundby at 530‑832‑0102 ext 3, and check neighboring air districts or the Carl Moyer Program as alternatives. The statewide FARMER program at CARB remains active and is administered through local air districts. Last verified 2026-05-17.
Value
$150 million
Espanol
FARMER GRANTS | Distrito de Gestión de Calidad del Aire de Northern Sierra
URL
https://www.myairdistrict.com/farmer-grants
⚠️ Last verified 2026-05-17: Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District (NSAQMD) is not accepting FARMER applications in 2026. Their page states: "APPLICATION ACCEPTANCE IS NOW CLOSED" and "There is not anticipated to be any FARMER funding awarded in 2026." The statewide FARMER program at CARB is still active — see "What to do now" below. [Source: myairdistrict.com/farmer-grants (accessed 2026-05-17)]

What this program is

FARMER (Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions) is a California program that helps farmers replace old, polluting agricultural equipment — tractors, harvesters, agricultural trucks, pump engines, UTVs — with cleaner models. Statewide, FARMER has funded over 10,000 projects and put more than $760 million into the field since 2018. [Source: caclimateinvestments.ca.gov/farmer (accessed 2026-05-17)]
Funds are distributed by local air districts, not by CARB directly. If you farm in Plumas, Sierra, or Nevada County, your local district is NSAQMD — and NSAQMD is paused for 2026.

What to do now (Nevada / Plumas / Sierra County farmers)

  1. Watch the NSAQMD page for a restart announcement: myairdistrict.com/farmer-grants
  1. Call Melissa Klundby at NSAQMD to ask about timing and to get on any waitlist: 530‑832‑0102 ext 3 or melissak@myairdistrict.com
  1. Check neighboring districts — some California air districts still have open FARMER solicitations. The statewide list of districts and their current status is on the CAPCOA FARMER page: capcoa.org/farmer-program
  1. Look at the Carl Moyer Program as an alternative — it funds similar agricultural equipment replacements and runs through the same air districts. NSAQMD administers Carl Moyer locally; same phone number.

Who normally qualifies (when applications are open)

  • You own or operate agricultural equipment used in farming operations in California.
  • The equipment you want to replace is older / higher-polluting (specific tier requirements depend on the project type).
  • Eligible equipment categories:
    • Off-road equipment (tractors, swathers, harvesters)
    • On-road agricultural trucks
    • Stationary and portable engine repowers (irrigation pumps)
    • Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs) and small tractors
    • Zero-emission agricultural UTVs

How much you can get

Award amounts depend on the equipment type and your district's funding. Historically, NSAQMD's share of the statewide Shared Allocation Pool was about $5.4 million spread across 15 small air districts in a single cycle. Per-project awards typically cover a large percentage of the replacement cost — but you'll usually still pay some out of pocket. [Source: myairdistrict.com/farmer-grants (accessed 2026-05-17)]

How the application process works (when open)

  1. You submit an application to your local air district (NSAQMD for Nevada/Plumas/Sierra).
  1. The local district reviews for completeness and forwards eligible apps to Placer County APCD for scoring.
  1. Placer County APCD recommends projects for funding back to your local district.
  1. The local district contacts you about award status.

Common pitfalls

  • Missing the window. When FARMER reopens it's often a short application period (the 2023 NSAQMD cycle was one month, Aug 1–31). Call ahead so you're ready.
  • Equipment doesn't meet tier requirements. Replacement equipment usually has to meet the cleanest available emission tier — confirm with the district before you buy.
  • Buying before approval. Don't purchase the new equipment until the district approves your project, or you may not be eligible for reimbursement.

Where to get help

  • CARB FARMER program page: Search "CARB FARMER program" at ww2.arb.ca.gov

Sources