The Valley burn ban, explained — and what it means for your orchard

What the burn ban actually says

The San Joaquin Valley has the strictest agricultural burning rules in California. The phase-out wasn't sudden — it ran in tiers over nearly two decades under state law (Senate Bill 705), starting back in 2005. Most field crops and large orchard removals lost their burn permits years ago.

January 1, 2025 was the final step. As of that date, small orchard removals, vineyard removals, and surface-harvested prunings can no longer be open-burned. For practical purposes, if you're taking out an orchard or vineyard, burning the material is no longer a legal disposal option.

There are a few narrow exceptions that remain — for example, diseased trees or vines where a plant pathologist determines burning is necessary, and certain "attrition" material like individual dead trees. But these are emergency-style exceptions, not a path for a normal removal. If your goal is to clear a block and replant, you'll be chipping, not burning.

Why chipping beats burning anyway

Here's the part most growers don't expect: working the ground material back into your soil is genuinely better for your next planting than burning ever was.

When you burn, the organic matter goes up in smoke. When you grind and reincorporate, that material breaks down into the soil — building organic matter, improving water retention, and feeding the ground your next crop will grow in. The practice even has a name in the research world: whole orchard recycling. UC Davis has studied it for years, and the results consistently favor recycling over burning for soil health and long-term yield.

So the rule that took away your burn pile is also nudging you toward a practice that leaves your field in better shape. That's the way we've always approached removals anyway — leave the ground ready for what comes next.

The Air District grant that helps pay for it

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District runs a program called the Alternatives to Agricultural Open Burning Grant Program — often just called the Ag Burn Alternatives grant. It exists specifically to help growers cover the cost of chipping orchard and vineyard material instead of burning it. The state put $178.2 million behind it to make the transition easier.

Here's how it works in plain terms:

• What it covers Chipping or shredding the material from an orchard or vineyard removal, then using those chips for soil incorporation on your property, land application on agricultural ground, or other approved beneficial reuse.
• What it pays As of early 2026, the incentive runs roughly $300 to $1,300 per acre depending on the project, with an additional $400 per acre available for smaller growers. Grant amounts and rules are set by the District and change from year to year — always confirm current figures with the District before you count on a number.
• The cap Funding is generally limited to 100 acres per operation per calendar year.
• The catch on timing You apply, the District reviews and approves, the work gets done and inspected, and reimbursement comes after the work is complete. It is a reimbursement program, not money up front — so the sequence matters. Start your application before you schedule the removal.

The dollar amounts, the 100-acre cap, and the $400 small-grower bonus reflect the District's published guidelines as of early 2026 and are subject to change each program year. Always confirm current figures at valleyair.org/grants before planning around a number.

How we help with the grant process

Let's be clear about one thing up front: we are not part of the Air District, and we don't submit grant applications for you. The application is between you and the District, and that's how it should be.

What we do is help you walk through it. After nearly 40 years removing orchards and vineyards across the Valley, we know this program well — what the District is looking for, how the chipping and reincorporation needs to be documented to qualify, and how to sequence the work so it lines up with the reimbursement requirements. We'll point you to the right place to apply, explain what the process looks like, and make sure the removal itself is done in a way that meets the program's requirements.

In other words: you handle the application, we make sure the work behind it qualifies. Most growers find that the grant offsets a meaningful share of the removal cost — which is a big part of why we do what we do.