Status: Open
The Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions (FARMER) Program provides funding through local air districts for agricultural harvesting equipment, heavy-duty trucks, tractors, and other equipment used in agricultural operations.
The Sac Metro Air District has implemented FARMER funding for the first five years of the program and experienced overwhelming demand for funding. The District will fund electric utility terrain vehicles (e-UTVs) and farm tractors for this solicitation. Priority will be given to applications that promote zero emission technology such as electric tractors. Diesel projects (Tier 4 or better) for off-road equipment are encouraged to apply and will be considered for funding on a first come, first served basis.
Staff will follow the requirements outlined in the ARB FARMER Guidelines to evaluate applications. Applications will only be accepted for farm operations with business addresses in Sacramento County as determined by tax liability purposes. Farmers with operations in these counties, but based outside the area, should contact other air districts for funding opportunities. The Sac Metro Air District will not accept applications for on-road truck replacement under its FARMER Program.
FARMER Program Guidelines
Application Process
The application period opens on March 4, 2024, and will remain open until all funds are allocated or until the Air District decides to close or modify the program. Applicants will enter information through the off-road online application and upload all required attachments. Once complete, applicants will receive an email showing their application was received. The Sac Metro Air District recommends that applicants keep a copy of all application records. It is also recommended that applicants use a PDF app for their Apple or Android phones that can convert pictures into PDFs to make the process easier.
Staff may begin contacting applicants during the application period to discuss their projects. Projects with an award greater than $1 million will require approval by the Sac Metro Air District Board of Directors. This may delay projects as the board meets monthly.
Applications missing information may be given 30 days to submit any incomplete or ineligible documents. Staff may also request additional information from applicants if needed to evaluate the project. If a project is selected for funding, the project may require a pre-inspection where the applicant will be contacted by one of our staff to coordinate a virtual inspection of the equipment. In some cases, the applicant will be offered an award lower than the amount requested in the application or the maximum grant for the project. This reduction is done if the Sac Metro Air District does not have enough funding for the project or staff determines that the application does not qualify for full funding.
If selected for funding, applicants will enter into a funding agreement with the Sac Metro Air District. The agreement will match the individual or business entity listed on the application and Payee Data Record.
Applicants must be compliant with state and local air quality regulations and will be checked. Most agreements have a term of 3-10 years with annual reporting requirements and penalties for non-compliance. Participants can transfer their agreements to other parties if in the best interest of air quality in the region. On-road vehicle projects require the Sac Metro Air District to be listed as a lien holder on the title, and all other projects require a UCC filing to secure interest in the equipment. These are released at the end of the agreement.
Applications not selected for funding will be placed in a pending file for future funding opportunities. If an applicant does not want their application to be held, she or he must contact the Sac Metro Air District to withdraw their application. The Sac Metro Air District may also forward applications to other agencies that may have funding for the project. Please get in touch with staff if you have any questions about the application process.
Selection and review of the applications are described in the Project Selection and Funding section of the 2024 Community Air Quality Grant Application Manual. Please ensure that your application includes the following documents scanned into PDF format to attach to your online application:
Vendor Payee Data Record W9 and ACH Forms with Cancelled Check or Bank Letter
Usage records showing service intervals and hour meter readings for the last 24 months
Ownership records for the last 24 months such as a bill of sale, insurance records, etc.
Photograph of the current operational hour meter reading per existing equipment
Cost quote and specifications for replacement equipment
