Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa) has announced that the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Healthy Soils Program has awarded nearly $1 million to the Old Grove Orange organization, which provides fresh produce to education entities. The Old Grove Orange organization is a coalition of small citrus growers located outside Redlands in the Inland Empire. Their mission is to “make the last remaining local farms in our region sustainable via partnerships with local school districts,” said Senator Ochoa Bogh.

“I thank the California Department of Food and Agriculture for recognizing and supporting our local growers, who are the backbone of the agricultural economy in our state. I am proud of the commendable achievements of Old Grove Orange and their continued commitment to providing fresh produce to our students in the Inland Empire,” said Senator Ochoa Bogh. “This awarded grant will ensure that Old Grove Orange will be able to further promote conservation and sustainable farming through their agricultural practices.”

The Healthy Soils Program is one of the most promising state agricultural programs currently implemented in California. This program provides agriculturalists with grants to assist with the shift toward regenerative agriculture. Farmers and ranchers may apply for funding, and the program decides how to best allocate their yearly budget given the total applications for that specific year. In its first year, the Healthy Soils Program awarded $41.5 million in grant funding for 646 regenerative farms in California.