Through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), the governments of Canada and Ontario are committing more than $68 million in the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative (OASI) to fund three programs designed to support farmers in making their agricultural lands more productive and resilient.

“Ontario producers have embraced sustainable farming practices and are taking proactive steps toward climate action to reduce their environmental footprint. The financial support announced today helps to advance and accelerate those practices to build a resilient agriculture sector for generations to come.”

- The Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga on behalf of the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“Our government is committed to building a food supply system that is resilient, competitive and productive to meet the ambitious goals of our Grow Ontario Strategy. This initiative will be a critical component in giving our farmers the tools they need to make decisions that will enable safe, top-quality food production and agricultural sustainability goals.”

- The Honourable Lisa Thompson, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

“Ontario’s fruit and vegetable growers are continuously investing in and improving their environmental practices to protect the environment and the future of their farms. Proactive investments like these are crucial to supporting Ontario's farms and protecting domestic food security, especially during this period of high input costs and market instability.”

- Shawn Brenn, Chair, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association

“Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association is very pleased with the confidence expressed by the Ministry in selecting us to deliver these exciting new stewardship initiatives to the farm community. Continuing the On-Farm Applied Research and Monitoring research program promises to heighten our understanding of soil health on different landscapes across the province and under different management practices. The two new incentive opportunities help provide farm businesses valuable support to modify their current practices to assist progressive farm businesses to remain productive, profitable and sustainable. Ontario Soil and Crop predicts significant interest by farm businesses in both the familiar format of the Agricultural Stewardship Initiative and the exciting new Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program.”

- Steve Sickle, OSCIA President

• Applications under the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative will be considered until funding has been allocated or the closing date for the application period has concluded. More information on support for specific best management practices will be available via the OSCIA.

• Additional intake periods and details about eligible projects for those intake periods, under the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative, will be communicated when they are finalized.

• A verified, complete, fourth edition Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) will be an eligibility requirement for funding under this initiative. Information on options to complete the EFP is available through the OSCIA.

• Farmers in the Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair watershed areas are encouraged to complete a Farmland Health Check-Up, with a participating technical specialist, to identify field-specific risks, which may qualify them to receive increased levels of cost-share funding. Enhanced, targeted, cost-share funding supports accelerating regional efforts to reduce phosphorus from farming entering Lake Erie. 

• ONFARM is supported by various organizations including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, multiple conservation authorities, specialized service providers and a network of farmer cooperators. Activities led through the initiative include soil health and water quality monitoring and examining the effectiveness of different farming best management practices and how this translates to productivity.

• Sustainable CAP will help enable the goals outlined in Ontario’s Grow Ontario Strategy, which include increasing the amount of food grown in Ontario by 30% over the next 10 years.

• Tackling climate change and environmental protection to support greenhouse gas emission reductions and the long-term vitality of the agri-food sector were among priorities set for Sustainable CAP by the federal-provincial-territorial agricultural ministers in The Guelph Statement. The new Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program was designed to help achieve these goals.

Associated links

• Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
• Grow Ontario
• OSCIA

For media:

Simon Lafortune
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
simon.lafortune@agr.gc.ca
343‑549‑0778

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
aafc.mediarelations-relationsmedias.aac@agr.gc.ca
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Sam McCormick, Minister’s Office
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Sam.McCormick@ontario.ca

Connie Osborne
Communications Branch
OMAFRA.media@ontario.ca
519-826-3145