There are possible funding opportunities for business improvements available to your farm under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP).CAP is a five-year program designed to increase economic development, enhance environmental stewardship and improve assurance systems. The program is available to agricultural producers, processors and organizations.
The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association will deliver cost-share funding to producers in Ontario.Applications are accepted during intake windows, which are scheduled between April 3, 2018 and March 31, 2023. The first application window is from April 3, 2018 to May 8, 2018. Not all project categories will be open in every application intake window. A farm business may have two applications under consideration at any one time, and a separate application must be submitted for each project. Applications will be assessed on merit. The program has no limit on cost-share projects that a farm business can complete. Projects cannot be started before the date of approval provided by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
| Area of Focus | Category | Category Description | Cost-Share % | Cost-Share Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Stewardship | A | Adding organic amendments to soil for producers with fields that have low organic matter or nutrient level to purchase organic material, transport and custom application costs | 40% | $180 per acre up to $15,000 |
| B | Cover crops (excludes alfalfa, winter wheat or other commodity crops) | 50% | $10,000 | |
| C | Modifications to equipment for improved manure application in the field | 40% | $30,000 | |
| D | Fragile land retirement | 50% | $10,000 | |
| E | Manure storage improvements (to increase capacity to meet 240 day threshold) | 30% | $35,000 | |
| F | Modifications to equipment to reduce soil compaction (e.g. inflation/deflation systems that reduce field tire pressure, new tires that have reduced operational tire pressure ratings compared to conventional bias or radial tires) | 40% | $15,000 | |
| G | Riparian buffer strips | 50% | $10,000 | |
| H | Livestock facilities runoff control (e.g. eaves troughs on livestock buildings, vegetative filter strip, construction of impermeable surface and curb walls) | 30% | $20,000 | |
| I | Erosion control structures | 50% | $20,000 | |
| J | Equipment for tillage and nutrient application (e.g. no-till units or components, equipment to enable variable or controlled applications) | 40% | $30,000 | |
| K | Wind breaks and wind strips | 50% | $10,000 | |
| L | Water Wells (e.g. capping old wells, upgrades to existing wells) | 30% | $6,000 | |
| M | Systems to recover nutrients from wastewater / washwater (e.g. manure dewatering systems, treatment systems) | 30% | $30,000 | |
| N | Nutrient management and soil health planning (for producers who need a first-time plan) | 50% | $10,000 | |
| Environmental Stewardship (Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair watersheds) | A, B, C, D, F, G, I, J, K, N | For the noted categories, producers are eligible for additional cost-share percentages and maximums if they are located in the Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair watersheds | 45%, 55% and 65% | $20,000 |
| Economic Development | Business Analysis | Farm financial analysis | 50% | $2,500 |
| Business plans (excludes succession plans) | 35% | $10,000 | ||
| Market Development | Marketing assessments or plans to identify market opportunities | 50% | $15,000 | |
| Develop new products or processes (e.g. regulatory review, formulation development, product testing) | 50% | $15,000 | ||
| Increase sales of products in Canadian market (e.g. brand development, consumer studies, promotional material) | 35% | $45,000 | ||
| Increase sales in new or existing international markets (e.g. brand development, consumer studies, promotional material) | 35% | $50,000 | ||
| Productivity | Labour productivity plans | 50% | $15,000 | |
| Technology, equipment and software to increase automation and labour productivity | 25% | $100,000 | ||
| Food Safety and Traceability | Assessment and Planning | Food safety and traceability pre-audit, gap assessment and plans (excludes livestock and poultry operations with the exception of dairy operations) | 45% | $4,000 |
| Education | Food safety and traceability training and education | 45% | $4,000 | |
| Improvements | Equipment and facility upgrades to reduce food safety risks and achieve initial food safety certification | 50% | $75,000 | |
| Equipment | Food safety equipment that will reduce food safety risks, support adoption of food safety program or respond to changing industry standards | 35% | $10,000 | |
| Equipment to implement traceability system (excludes livestock and poultry operations) | 35% | $10,000 | ||
| Animal Health (Note that preference may be given to particular livestock sectors or remote areas) | Education | Animal health education and training, as well as completion of assessments and plans | 50% | $2,500 |
| Preventing the Introduction and Spread of Disease | On-site facilities for management of deadstock | 35% | $25,000 | |
| Equipment for animal health monitoring and management | 35% | $25,000 | ||
| Improvements to prevent access by wildlife, pests and rodents (e.g. screening, curtains or soffits on barns, applying gravel around perimeter, pest control devices) | 35% | $25,000 | ||
| Establishment of isolation or segregation facilities | 35% | $25,000 | ||
| Improvements to prevent spread of disease through new construction, facility upgrades or implementing procedures (e.g. construction of wash bay or pad, shower facilities, replacing interior surfaces with non-porous washable materials, treatment system, cleaning and disinfecting equipment) | 35% | $25,000 | ||
| Improvements to define zones and controlled access points through new construction, facility upgrades or implementing procedures (e.g. anteroom, creating zones with signage or fencing, controlling access to buildings, designated visitor parking) | 35% | $25,000 | ||
| Improvements to Animal Housing and Handling | Improvements to animal housing with new construction, facility upgrades or implementing new technologies (includes feeding and watering systems, new bedding systems, modular loading. head gates, chutes, group housing systems, ventilation systems, grooving or flooring) | 35% | $25,000 | |
| Traceability system improvements (eg. written policies and systems, training, barcoding systems and automated product identification systems, building or site upgrades to support implementation of written traceability system) | 50% | $75,000 | ||
| Traceability equipment (e.g. equipment directly linked to implementation of traceability system) | 35% | $10,000 | ||
| Equipment to improve animal handling (e.g. improve castration, dehorning or euthanasia, chutes, heat gates, ventilation) | 35% | $25,000 | ||
| Plant Health | Education | Plant health education and training as well as completion of assessments and plans | 50% | $5,000 |
| Improvements | Tools and equipment for monitoring, management and treatment to prevent, identify and limit introduction and spread of pests | 35% | $25,000 | |
| Installation of continuous rinse systems for producers who use pesticide application equipment | 50% | $2,500 | ||
| Modifications or additions to existing structures to prevent introduction and spread of pests (e.g. anteroom, access points, wash bay, cleaning equipment) | 35% | $50,000 | ||
| Elimination of potentially contaminated plant or soil materials (e.g. containment area, sanitation procedures) | 35% | $25,000 | ||
| Modifications for greenhouse producers and propagators to prevent introduction and spread of diseases and pests (e.g. screening. pest control devices, first-time pest management program) | 25% | $50,000 |
For more information, please refer to: the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association's website.
Applications for funding can be prepared using the methods listed below. BDO can assist you with the preparing of applications.
- Online System: Enroll through the Client Portal, create your profile and complete the application at www.ontarioprograms.net
- Paper: Application forms can be printed from www.ontarioprogramguides.net
We recommend that clients take advantage of these cost-share opportunities. BDO is happy to provide advisory services to help you complete your applications or prepare plans for your farm operation.
Information for processors, organizations, collaborations or others in the supply chain can be found as follows:
Information for processors is available on the following websites: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/cap/index.htm
Information for organizations and collaborations is available at: http://adaptcouncil.org/program/cap
Information on funding for other businesses in the supply chain such as packers, retailers, elevator and storage facilities, seed treatment and storage facilities, transport providers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers and custom applicators is available at: www.ontarioprogramguides.net