Producer Funding

Producer Funding Opportunities!

NEED ASSISTANCE NAVIGATING THROUGH THE NEW GRANTS?

Have a project in mind that you would like to do for your operation? If you want to take advantage of funding but don’t like the paperwork? We have staff members in the CARA office that are here to help you navigate through the new programs. Give the office a call at 403-664-3777.

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SUSTAINABLE CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL PARTNERSHIP

To support continued innovation, growth and prosperity, the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) has launched its programs. This 5‐year (2023-2028), $3.5 billion investment includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs and activities by federal-provincial-territorial governments. The Sustainable CAP framework represents a cost-shared federal-provincial investment of $508 million over 5 years towards strategic programs and services for the agriculture and agri-food industry in Alberta.

Programs include:

Cost-Share and Maximum Funding: Dependent on program

Accepting Applications as of April 3rd, 2023

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On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF)

The Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) investments in producer-led, results-driven agriculture research to power the competitiveness, profitability, productivity and sustainability of agriculture in Alberta. RDAR funds research and extension projects of individual producers, applied research associations and forage organizations, and post-secondaries.

RDAR is a delivery agent of the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), a federal program that provides financial support to producers to accelerate their adoption and implementation of on-farm Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) to lower Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, support production efficiency, sustainability and resiliency on their farm operations. OFCAF reimburses the producer 85% of their project cost to a maximum of $75 000 per producer per the OFCAF term (2022, 2023, 2024).

Producers can apply for projects under 3 main categories:

Nitrogen Management – cost difference of using ESN where urea has been the standard practice, custom applications or rental equipment to side band N when broadcasting was the standard application practice, manure spreading, dual N-loss inhibitor products, converting cropland to a hay/pasture stand with a minimum of 50% legumes in the seed blend, soil testing, etc.
Cover Cropping – full season, under-seeded, or post-harvest cover crop seed and custom seeding costs in which the cover crop and species selected will provide a living root up until freeze-up, improves soil health, decreases erosion, and provides forage or grazing if a minimum of 6″ of stubble will be maintained going into the winter.
Rotational Grazing – implementation of temporary or permanent cross-fences to increase the amount of rotational grazing possible, water systems that are apart of a new rotational grazing project, and adding legume seed to existing stands.

Applications for Term 3 opened March 1 2024. It is encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible through the ARGO system with the corresponding BMP Template that outlines the project costs which has been approved by a Professional Agrologist (PAg) or Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) and an aerial map of the project area.

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CFGA strongly focuses on forages and grasslands across Canada as a national organization. We have been working with the leading researchers, educators and other active stakeholder groups in this sector. Rotational grazing has many functions for both the environment and the family farm. This program is centered on increasing the total acres under a rotational grazing system.

The development of a rotational grazing plan for your farming operation is the program’s foundation and a requirement to access further funding for implementing your Advanced Rotational Grazing Plan. By developing a rotational grazing plan, you will have a clear idea of all associated aspects of your project.

CFGA is a delivery agent for the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) program. The second intake of applications for rotational grazing plan development costs, temporary and permanent fence materials, water systems, and perennial forage seed will be held April 1 to 30th, 2024. Approved CFGA OFCAF projects are eligible to be reimburse 70% of the producers cost of implementing a new rotational grazing practice.

Although not required, it is recommended that producers enroll and complete the series of modules of the Advanced Grazing Systems self-paced learning as an introduction to the foundation of the advanced rotational grazing practices and theory. Proceeding through these modules will help you create a rotational grazing plan suitable for your operation.

For more info Click HERE

CARA staff try hard to update this list as soon as announcements are made, however for the most up to date information be sure you visit www.rdar.ca & www.canadianfga.ca SUBSCRIBE to their announcements.

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Marginal Areas Program

DU provides a financial incentive to seed those hard-to-access/poorly producing areas to perennial forages. Producers can apply to receive $150/acre of land that qualifies.

Forage Program

Receive a discount on every bag of forage seed when you convert cultivated land to hay or pastureland. DU will provide agronomic support for establishing forage and maintaining ecological benefits.

Winter Wheat Extension

“The Western Winter Wheat Initiative is a collaboration between Bayer CropScience, Ducks Unlimited Canada, the Mosaic Company Foundation and Richardson International Limited. Its purpose is to build awareness and credibility of winter wheat as a highly productive crop option for western Canadian farmers.”