Contrary to rumours, funding is still available through the provincial Growing Forward programs. Jennifer Stoby, conservation technician with the Northwestern Conversation Alliance Initiative, outlined some of the new and upcoming programs during a presentation here last month.
Growing Forward is a cost-sharing initiative between the provincial and federal governments. Stoby said there has been some confusion because Manitoba has already dispersed all its funding. However, this is not the case in Alberta, which is still launching some of its programming.
The funding commitments from Growing Forward are active from 2009 to 2013. Each province is responsible for administrating its own programs, which consists of 12 program areas, some of which include biosecurity, energy efficiency, entrepreneurship, food safety, rural development, leadership, environmental stewardship, water plans and traceability.
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Stoby said there is a link on the main page of the website (which allows producers to assess their own farm and find out where they qualify for funding. Producers should find out if they are eligible before they begin a project.
Free energy assessments
Producers that run dairy, poultry or swine facilities may be eligible for funding to improve the energy efficiency in these operations. In order to qualify, producers need a free energy assessment on their livestock facilities, which may also be eligible for funding for retrofits.
“What happens is they’ll have an assessor come and assess, then they’ll make suggestions of things to change and there is money available for those changes,” said Stoby.
Crop producers are eligible for funding under the energy-efficiency program if they choose to engage in construction projects such as a farm shop. The program has a list of high-efficiency equipment that can be purchased.
