Ontario grain farmers dealing with high DON (vomitoxin) levels in their corn crop can now apply for funding to cover DON testing.
The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) has announced a new intake for cost-share opportunities to support DON testing under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The initiative will support producers whose corn crop or corn products (including feed and silage) have documented presence of DON at levels at or above 5 ppm.
Producers can receive 50 per cent cost-share up to a maximum of $2,500 per farm business location to undertake:
- DON testing at a lab or elevator
- Purchasing test kits for DON
- Purchasing equipment for testing on-farm
Costs are eligible if incurred after October 12, 2018. Producers who receive a test result of 5 ppm or greater for their 2018 corn crop are eligible to apply.
Like other CAP funding opportunities, the program is merit-based. This program will focus specifically on the risks to plant and animal health and challenges with marketing DON-infected corn, states an OSCIA press release. Applications will be reviewed as they are received in an attempt to get support out to producers as quickly as possible.
The targeted intake opens December 6, 2018, and will continue to run over the coming months. A close date will be announced at a later time. For additional details or to access an application, producers can go to ontarioprogramguides.net or contact OSCIA at [email protected].
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3 billion commitment by Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sectors.