Funding Sustainable Transitions
Advancing the sustainability of your protein business operations can include additional upfront costs, but funding to support this transition is available at all levels of government.
Federal Government Programs Promoting Sustainability
Environmental sustainability is one of the main priorities identified under the current agricultural policy framework agreement, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). Under CAP, the federal government offers several programs to support the development and implementation of systems that promote the sustainability of the agri-food sector.
The development of the federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) Next Policy Framework provides a great opportunity to refine national and provincial agri-food sustainability policy and programming and will be available next fiscal year.
Federally offered programs related to sustainability include:
AgriAssurance Program - Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
The Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Stream that provides incentives to companies to help implement third-party assurance certification projects that address international market requirements, thus helping expand export opportunities for Canadian agricultural and agri-food products.
AgriAssurance Program - National Industry Association
The National Industry Association (NIA) Stream funds national-level industry projects to develop and adopt systems, standards, and tools to support health and safety claims about Canadian agricultural and food products. The assurance systems enable the industry to make credible, meaningful, and verifiable claims about its products and how they are produced.
Agri-food Sustainability Programs in Manitoba
Manitoba is one of the leading collaborators in the national-level sustainability initiatives highlighted in the previous section. The government has implemented a number of provincially led sustainability initiatives in support of the agriculture and agri-food industry, including the following:
Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan
In 2017, the Manitoba government released its Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan, which has a bold vision of making Manitoba one of Canada’s cleanest, greenest, and most climate-resilient provinces. The Climate and Green Plan identifies priority areas, including those in the agriculture sector, green initiatives, and implementation strategies.
Conservation and Climate Fund
This fund was established by the Manitoba government to support projects and initiatives that align with the priorities identified in the Climate and Green Plan. The fund covers the costs of eligible projects of up to $200,000 per applicant per year. Incorporated non-profit organizations, academic and educational institutions, Manitoba municipalities, Northern Affairs, and Indigenous Communities and businesses are eligible to apply for the fund.
Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program: Carbon Sequestration and Grassland Resilience
The primary goal of the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) is to enhance the ecological robustness of agricultural landscapes. This is achieved by expediting the implementation of advantageous on-farm land use and management practices that effectively enhance carbon sequestration. There are two Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) eligible for funding:
- Agroforestry: The intake for this program is currently open, funding requests will be accepted from April 28, 2023 to 11:59 pm on June 12 2023. Eligible applicants can be reimbursed for up to 75 per cent of total approved eligible costs, to a maximum of $15,000 per project.
- Grasslands and Grazing Management: The intake for this program is currently open, funding requests will be accepted from April 28, 2023 to 11:59 pm on June 12, 2023. Eligible applicants can be reimbursed for up to 75 per cent of total approved eligible costs, to a maximum of $15,000 per project.
Visit Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) webpage to learn more about the programs.
Sustainable Agriculture Manitoba
Sustainable Agriculture Manitoba (SAM) offers financial support to farmers and land managers, facilitating the adoption of mutually beneficial management practices (BMPs). These practices play a pivotal role in supporting the environmental and economic sustainability of agricultural operations in Manitoba. SAM focusses on key areas such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, air quality, water quality and quantity, soil health and biodiversity, prioritizing the advancement of these crucial aspects. Sustainable Agriculture Manitoba funds a variety of BMPs available within three funding streams:
- Cropland Management: The intake for this program is currently open, funding requests will be accepted from April 28, 2023 to 11:59 pm on June 13, 2023.
- Manure & Livestock Management: The intake for this program is currently open, funding requests will be accepted from April 28, 2023 to 11:59 pm on June 13, 2023.
- Water Management: The intake for this program is currently open, funding requests will be accepted from April 28, 2023 to 11:59 pm on June 13, 2023.
Visit Sustainable Agriculture Manitoba (SAM) webpage to learn more about the programs.
Research and Innovation
The Research and Innovation program supports the development of science-based solutions and tools to tackle existing challenges, anticipate potential disruptions and climate-related risks, and harness emerging prospects within the agriculture and agri-food sector. Eligible applicants can access funding through this program to support a range of projects, including basic and applied research as well as capacity building initiatives to foster growth and sustainability of the sector. There are two funding streams available for research and innovation financial assistance:
- Basic and Applied Research: includes fundamental discovery research that seeks to expand knowledge and initiatives aimed at developing practical solutions for specific challenges.
- Capacity Building: focusses solely on the procurement of research equipment (costing $10,000 or more) and specialized training for the purpose of enhancing research and innovation capabilities within Manitoba.
The intake for this program is currently open. Letter of Intent will be accepted from May 29, 2023 to 11:59 pm on July 10, 2023. Visit Research and Innovation webpage to learn more about the programs.
Contact
For more information on funding for your operation’s sustainability transition or to get this information in an alternate format, email us at: mbproteinadvantage@gov.mb.ca.
