CEC Launches Central Coast AgLink to Strengthen Agricultural Resilience

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) has launched Central Coast AgLink (CCAL), a free program that provides personalized support to farmers, ranchers, and land stewards for climate-smart practices on their land. Producers are encouraged to sign up through the AgLink form on CEC’s website to get connected with funding and resources.

CCAL’s goal is to reduce funding barriers for land stewardship projects, build regional agriculture networks, and accelerate climate resilience on California’s Central Coast. The region supports a large amount of agriculture, and Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties are in the state’s top 10 producers. However, when it comes to receiving state and federal funding for climate-smart practices on working lands, the Central Coast is chronically underfunded. That’s why CCAL was created — to help Central Coast producers tap into funding, resources, and local communities to pursue climate-smart projects faster, easier, and more affordably.

“We have so much agriculture on the Central Coast, but funding rarely trickles into our region to support conservation land practices on farms and ranches. We want to change that.” said Bre Sliker, CEC Climate Projects Manager. “CCAL will connect producers with what they need to get a conservation project going — be it funding, technical knowledge, or partners. We hope this will remove barriers and build momentum in our region for land practices that benefit farmers, wildlife, and the climate.”

In just the first two weeks since its launch, CCAL has already received 15 sign ups, demonstrating an appetite for conservation projects on working lands and a need for this service.

“We have a responsibility to be good stewards of the land and appreciate CEC’s invaluable guidance and technical support to help ensure we’re protected from climate impacts,” said Gina Giugni, a farmer and winemaker in San Luis Obispo County.

In addition to helping farmers and ranchers directly, CCAL is also designed to expand the reach of existing organizations who provide a variety of agricultural services. CEC is working closely with Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs), nonprofits, and other service providers to amplify their efforts to ensure more producers are served.

“Producers have plenty of responsibilities to worry about — knowing how to navigate all of the available resources and partners doesn’t need to be one of them,” said Emily Nye, Conservation Agriculture Program Manager at Ventura County Resource Conservation District. “We see CEC’s Central Coast AgLink becoming a one-stop shop for farmers to learn about and connect to the region’s technical, educational, and financial resources. In collaborating with CEC on AgLink, Ventura County Resource Conservation District hopes to assist new producers, make regional ag resources easier to navigate, and increase adoption of on-farm conservation practices.”

To sign up for the service, land owners can fill out a short online form to share what projects they’re interested in — such as healthy soil practices, irrigation upgrades, grazing plans, pollinator habitat, and renewable energy infrastructure. From there, CEC’s team will reach out to help them plan projects, apply for available grants and incentives, and connect them with partners. If no funding is available, CEC will notify them when funding programs launch so they are the first to know.

To learn more and sign up, visit https://cecsb.org/central-coast-aglink or reach out to Bre Sliker at bsliker@cecmail.org.