Canada offers farmer support to lower emissions, boost resilience

On January 28, 2025, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, announced an expansion of the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF). An additional $300 million will be allocated to 13 organizations to extend support for farmers aiming to enhance climate resilience over the next three years. This initiative seeks to mitigate the barriers to adopting sustainable farm practices by subsidizing implementation costs, improving access to agronomic services, and facilitating the transfer of knowledge to producers and agronomists through targeted outreach and training programs.

The enhanced funding will focus on several key areas:

• Cover Cropping: This includes the use of fall- or spring-planted cover crops such as clover and alfalfa, which are not harvested but instead cover the soil, adding nutrients, increasing water retention, and reducing soil erosion.
• Nitrogen Management: Strategies here involve optimizing nitrogen use through increased use of legumes in rotations and substituting synthetic fertilizers with manure and other natural fertilizers, thereby benefiting soil, air, and water quality.
• Rotational Grazing: Funding will support the establishment of new fencing and watering systems, along with initiatives to develop low-methane pastures. This practice involves moving livestock through different pasture segments to allow forage plants to regenerate, thus enhancing soil health.

The allocated funds will be distributed through individual application intakes managed by the respective organizations. Farmers across Canada are encouraged to utilize the OFCAF Web Tool for Farmers to identify which organization best meets their geographic and operational needs.

“Farmers don’t need to be convinced that climate change is real – they’re facing the impacts directly,” stated MacAulay. “They want to keep their land healthy, productive, and resilient. As a government, we’re making historic investments so that we can continue to be a reliable supplier and leading exporter of world-class products.”

Several regional agricultural associations across Canada were selected to receive funding as Canada demonstrates its commitment to the widespread implementation of climate-resilient practices in agriculture.