Upcoming Available Funding For Producers

 
If you are looking to make changes or upgrades to your 4R farming practices, this might be the year. Both the Canadian Canola Council & the Manitoba Association of Watersheds will be offering new cost sharing programs (Best Management Practices, or BMP’s).

Manitoba Association of Watersheds new On-Farm Climate Action Funding will have three categories. Improving nitrogen management, Rotational grazing, and Cover crops.

Under nitrogen management the focus of cost sharing is towards shifting to using:

• slow-release fertilizer
• nitrification or urease inhibitors
• soil testing
• soil mapping
• agronomic support for nitrogen management plans
• adding legumes into annual crop rotations
• split application of nitrogen fertilizer
• upgrading seeding equipment (banding/side dressing/injection)
• upgrading manure injection/incorporation equipment
• Offsetting higher costs of synthetic fertilizer substitutes (manure, compost, digestates).

For cattle producers, rotational grazing might be a more appealing option with these new BMPs:

• fencing systems to support rotational grazing
• watering systems to support rotational grazing
• improving pastures by seeding in legumes
•  Creating Grazing Management Plans.

And finally, any grower looking at getting into cover crops can get help with the cost of seed and agronomic support to incorporate cover crops efficiently into your rotation.

Things to note about these programs are the forms to apply will not be available until end of Aug or early Sept. However, the watersheds will be back dating for any purchases done as of February 7^th, 2022. Keep your receipts from this past summer and apply once the forms are available. Program completion will be March 31, 2024. Before and after pictures are required for payment. Please speak to your watershed or see their website (https://manitobawatersheds.org/) for all program details.

The Canadian Canola Council has 4 BMP’s. These programs are up to $12,000 per farm per year and require a 4R Certified Agronomist to create a 4R Nutrient Stewardship Plan. The BMP’s are focused on nitrogen management and it covers soil testing, enhanced efficiency fertilizer, preferred application (at or near seeding, or during the growing season when canola is actively taking up nitrogen), and consulting services for field zone mapping. Please see the program details on their website https://www.canolacouncil.org/4r-advantage/

Environmental Farm Plans will also be getting new eligible funds in 2023. Watch for the announcement of these funds under the next Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP).

Speak to your Shur-Gro Agronomist to help you see if any of these programs would be a fit on your farm.