The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing $4 million annually over the next four years ($16 million total) to establish the Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative.
Targeted to the Lake Erie basin and the southeast shores of Lake Huron, the initiative is designed to “help farmers improve soil health and promote environmental stewardship.”
The funding will be used to provide cost-share funding to:
- Identify ways producers can improve soil health, reduce run-off, and improve pollinator habitat
- Modify equipment to address risks related to manure application and pollinator health; and,
- Adopt best management practices, including soil erosion control structures, cover crops, residue management, buffer and shelter strips
The program will also support demonstration farms and technical training for service providers, and education including local workshops, the government of Ontario says in a press release.
The Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative is part of Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial framework aimed at encouraging innovation, competitiveness and market development in Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sector.
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