Breakout Session Slides Integrating Agriculture into Regional Climate Action Plans – Adria Arko, Eliza Milio, and Avana Andrade highlighted San Mateo RCD’s partnership with local jurisdictions to integrate agriculture and carbon sequestration into climate action plans. Tuesday, February 13, 4:20 - 5:00 p.m.

1. Integrating Agriculture into
Climate Action Plans
Adria Arko & Eliza Milio | San Mateo
Resource Conservation District
Avana Andrade | San Mateo County
Office of Sustainability
NACD | February 2024

2. Agenda
• Intro to carbon sequestration
• Intro to climate action planning
• Developing a working lands chapter
• Implementation of our climate action plan
• Q&A

3. Potential in Agriculture

4. Cover crops Rotational grazing Reduced soil disturbance
Mulch
Windbreaks Grassland restoration
Compost
Pollinator Habitat

5. More Than Just Carbon Sequestration

6. Carbon Farm Plans
Acres
CO2e
sequestered or
reduced/year
Reduced till 15.8 1.58
Compost- field crops 16 4.8
Cover Crop 27.5 13.98
Irrigation
pump improvement
2 (pumps) 2.15
Compost- rangeland 328.8 489.9
Prescribed grazing 1015 5
Grassland restoration 91.85 45.96
Hedgerow 6.95 34.75
Silvopasture 178.5 233.75
Riparian planting 29.13 160.44
Riparian restoration 16.58 33.16

7. Introduction to the Community Climate Action Plan
Building Energy Transportation
Solid Waste Working Lands
CCAP Climate Goal:
• Board adopted, 2022
• Unincorporated communities to
reach:
• 45% reduction over 1990 levels
by 2030
• Carbon neutrality by 2040

8. Climate Action in Building Energy
• Support property owners to upgrade
natural gas-powered appliances to more
efficient electric models
• Accelerate solar panel and back-up
battery system installation
• Improve energy efficiency in homes

9. Climate Action in Transportation
• Enable electric vehicle adoption
• Facilitate walkable and bikeable
communities
• Support access to public
transportation through shuttle programs
and e-scooter/e-bike programs

10. Climate Action to Reduce Solid Waste
• Recover edible food from businesses
for food banks to distribute food to
communities in need
• Work with waste haulers and
community members to reduce
organic material in waste stream

11. Why Include Working Lands in a CAP?
• Agriculture often included in CAPs in non
productive ways
• Included as an afterthought
• Developed without producer input
• Lacking relevance
• State policy
• 2030 Natural and Working Lands Climate
Change Implementation Plan (CARB)
• 2022 Scoping Plan Update

12. Developing a Working Lands Chapter
LOCAL CARBON
FARM DATA
SPATIAL
MODELING
STAKEHOLDER
FEEDBACK
EMISSIONS
INVENTORY

13. San Mateo County Carbon Farm Plan Data
19 conservation plans completed in San Mateo County
8,000+ acres
2,300 MTCO2e annually (40,000 MTCO2e total)

14. Modeling Riparian Buffer
50-ft Riparian Forested Buffer Potential ~ 369 Acres

15. Emissions Inventory

16. San Mateo County Agricultural Lands: *Estimated* Carbon Sequestration Potential

17. Engagement
• Webinar
• Interviews
• Feedback on model
• What are you/other producers most/least
likely to do
• What resources do you need

18. CCAP Scenarios
2030 Goal
Moderate adoption,
annual rate
7,900 MTCO2e
Moderate adoption,
cumulative
39,000 MTCO2e
High adoption, annual
rate
13,590 MTCO2e
High adoption,
cumulative
67,000 MTCO2e
2045 Goal
Moderate adoption,
annual rate
13,577 MTCO2e
Moderate adoption,
cumulative
166,000 MTCO2e
High adoption, annual
rate
23,729 MTCO2e
High adoption,
cumulative
282,000 MTCO2e

19. Developing CAP Measures
• Funding
• Technical assistance
• Critical infrastructure, like equipment
• Trials and education
Resources needed:
• More regulations
• Additional costs
• Loss of productive land
• Food safety
Concerns:

20. CCAP Policies
• Policy L-1: Identify new financing to scale carbon farming
• Policy L-2: Support technical assistance, education, and data
collection efforts to scale climate beneficial agriculture in San Mateo
County
• Policy L-3: Secure access to key implementation infrastructure
• Policy L-4: Address permitting barriers
• Policy L-5: Ensure agricultural lands are preserved for agricultural
production
• Policy L-6: Support carbon sequestration and ecological restoration on
natural lands

22. Implementation
• The CCAP is a tool to support our larger carbon farming work
• Providing technical assistance
• Helping farmers get resources and funding
• Conducting on-farm trials, etc.
• The CCAP is supporting that work by:
• Recognizing us as official implementation partners, cementing
partnership with the County
• Serving as an educational tool for County staff about importance of
working lands
• Local County Supervisor approved
• Supports direct allocation of resources for this work

23. Implementation
1. Education and outreach
2. Implement Conservation and Carbon Farm
Plans
3. Continue tracking and measuring of impact
of carbon farming practices on working
lands
4. Develop funding strategies

24. Implementation

25. Piloting a Local Carbon Farming Fund
• County allocates funding for carbon
farming
• County & RCD partner to
develop methodology for funding
distribution
• RCD serves as clearinghouse to
administer program and distribute funds
to farmers
• Scaling local carbon farming at faster
pace, in alignment with CCAP
strategies

26. Implementation- Compost Program
• California Senate Bill 1383: cities and counties are required
to procure recovered organic waste products to meet annual
targets.
• 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.
• RCD/OOS partnered to pay up to 75% cost of compost,
delivered and spread
• Entering 3rd year of program
• Over 25 contracts with local farms
• 6000+ tons spread

27. Recommendations on Integrating Ag in Climate Policy
• Clear scope
• Specific policy and program outcome in mind
• Creative, cross-boundary thinking and approach
for pragmatic policy outcomes
• Learn from other counties
• Work with farmers, technical & policy experts

28. Thank you!
aandrade@smcgov.org
adria@sanmateoRCD.org
eliza@sanmateoRCD.org