Common use of PROGRAM BACKGROUND Clause in Contracts

PROGRAM BACKGROUND. The Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC), a component of the Strategic Growth Council’s (Council) Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program, supports the California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals by making strategic investments to protect agricultural lands from conversion to more GHG intensive uses. Protecting critical agricultural lands from conversion to urban or rural residential development promotes smart growth within existing jurisdictions, ensures open space remains available, and supports a healthy agricultural economy and resulting food security. A healthy and resilient agricultural sector is becoming increasingly important in meeting the challenges occurring and anticipated as a result of climate change. Auction revenues from the Cap-and-Trade Program are deposited into the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), which the Legislature and Governor appropriate to a variety of programs such as the SALC and which operate under the umbrella of California Climate Investments. All projects funded by GGRF monies must reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Agricultural Land Conservation Planning grants provide funds to cities and counties in collaboration with local stakeholders to develop and implement plans for the protection of agricultural land at risk of conversion to non- agricultural uses. This component of the program incentivizes local governments to work closely with local stakeholders to develop local and regional land use policies and implementation activities that integrate agricultural land conservation in a way that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, supports job creation, and benefits priority populations. The Council identified the California Department of Conservation (Department) in conjunction with the Natural Resources Agency (Agency) to administer SALC. The Strategic Growth Council approved the roles of the Department and the Agency at its July 10, 2014 meeting. In addition, SALC has been developed in consultation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture.