OFCAF provides funding support to producers for projects related to nitrogen management, cover cropping and rotational grazing practices.

“The new intake will fulfil RDAR’s commitment to distributing all available OFCAF funds to Alberta producers, enabling them to adopt impactful, sustainable changes on their farms and ranches,” the release — credited to OFCAF program manager Fiona Briody — explained.

Applications will be accepted online through the Agriculture Research Grant Organizer (ARGO) online application system starting September 6 at 8 a.m. It’s available at rdar.smartsimple.ca.

Application guidelines, tutorials and templates are available on the OFCAF website at rdar.ca/funding-opportunities/ofcaf. Following approval, all projects should be completed between September and December 2, 2024. They cannot be carried over into 2025.

“This is the final opportunity in 2024 to secure OFCAF funding for your on-farm or ranch project. Act quickly to ensure your project is considered,” wrote Briody.

Those with questions or are in need of further clarification can contact the RDAR office at 1-877-503-5955 or ofcaf.bmp@rdar.ca.

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Results Driven Agriculture Research, one of three Alberta administrators of the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), put new applications on hold May 10. An early news release pegged Aug. 15 as a possible reopening date. A newer guess suggests early September for a restart.

Fiona Briody says RDAR staff are up to their eyeballs in applications made before May 10.

“I probably need another week or 10 days to answer that more clearly in terms of how many we got through and the status of where we’re at, because we’re still trying to get through the bulk of those applications,” said Briody, OFCAF program manager for RDAR, in an interview Aug. 23.

RDAR CEO Mark Redmond said the 2023 applications are testing the boundaries of the ag researchers’ $18 million budget.

“We are close to being fully subscribed with the current approvals that we have,” he said. “At this time, it would be difficult for me to anticipate reopening the 2023 program. We’re all waiting to see what 2024 will bring.”

RDAR is one of three Alberta organizations that deliver the fund on behalf of the federal government. However, it’s the only one funding all three Alberta OFCAF streams: cover cropping, nitrogen management and rotational grazing.

The Canola Council of Canada administers projects related to nitrogen management, particularly OFCAF-funded incentives to help growers initiate or advance 4R nutrient stewardship practices.

Applications for year two of Canola 4R Advantage are currently open, said Curtis Rempel, vice-president of crop production and innovation with the council.

“Year two applications are for expenses incurred and paid by growers from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024,” said Rempel. “Growers can apply using a new digital portal available on our website.” (canolacouncil.org/4r-advantage)

The Canadian Grasslands Association supports the program for farmers who implement rotational grazing practices in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan and Quebec. According to the association’s website, the OFCAF program for rotational grazing is now fully subscribed for the 2023 growing season.

“We are waiting to hear about additional funding, but we will NOT be reviewing or approving any additional rotational grazing implementation projects until we have more funds to allocate,” reads the website.

RDAR says it has supported 1,280 projects on over one million acres of farm and ranch land since OFCAF’s August 2022 launch. Those projects included big money: $10 million in 2022 and around $18 million committed in 2023.

OFCAF is budgeted to run until 2028, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the same organizations will deliver the funds. RDAR has been confirmed as a distributor in 2024, but beyond that is anyone’s guess, said Redmond.

“We’re expecting some further information in September if we will extend to 2025, but that’s not a definite decision for RDAR at this time,” he said.

In the meantime, RDAR, AAFC and other players are looking at ways to make the program more farmer-friendly. One way is to take applications earlier, a process that started this year on Feb. 13.

“We may look at opening earlier to allow people to do some earlier planning,” said Redmond.

Livestock farmer-friendly

Briody thinks OFCAF has been a particular boon to Alberta’s livestock industry this year.

“I think the timing is really good in terms of where we’re at with the industry and certainly the livestock industry, which has had a few tough years in terms of feed costs and things like that,” she said.

“I think this influx of cash can really make changes to (producers’) infrastructure for the long term because the things we’re funding on the livestock side, like Razer Grazers and remote watering systems, have long-term impacts. That stuff will stay for the next 20 years.”

(A Razer Grazer is part of a lineup from Alberta-based Range Ward that specializes in remote solar-powered fencing products that do not require a nearby power source.)

“For the livestock industry, the feedback I’ve heard is just that the cash flow has been tight so they weren’t able to do this without this program,” Briody said, adding that the cropping sector has also benefited.

“I think it’s good for everybody. They’re doing stuff they haven’t tried before. It takes the risks out of trying new things because we’re at an 85 per cent cost-share. They’re doing some foundational pieces like soil mapping and soil testing that really set them up for the future.”

That’s the point of OFCAF, said Redmond.

“The intent was to lower those adoption barriers and it’s doing its job. It’s good news.”

He hopes those who have used OFCAF and found it a positive experience will say so.

“We hope that they are able to spread the news to their neighbours who can then take some benefit from the programs going forward.”

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“It’s a pretty lucrative program and people were actually aware of it this year,” said Johanna Murray, extension coordinator with Peace Country Beef and Forage Association.

“There were people who didn’t get around to applying last year because the advertising wasn’t as good as it could be, and they couldn’t get on it too quick.”

“I’m not surprised the program is closing early,” added Sonja Bloom, environmental coordinator with the Foothills Forage and Grazing Association. “I know it was quite popular when it opened.”

Those two farmer-led research groups and their sister organizations have been putting on workshops and webinars to help farmers tap into the On-Farm Climate Action Fund. It covers 85 per cent of the cost (up to $75,000 per farm) for projects to implement rotational grazing, cover cropping or more efficient use of nitrogen fertilizer.

Ottawa has put $200 million nationally into the program, with RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research) administering the bulk of Alberta’s share. An initial round of funding last fall saw about 600 producers receive more than $10 million in grants. And after a second application window opened in February, more than 1,000 more applications flooded in.

Because of that interest, the provincial research funding agency said in late April that it needed to “pause accepting new applications to assess the remaining uncommitted funding.” The application window closed May 10 and RDAR said it hopes to start taking applications again on Aug. 15.

Part of the program’s popularity is because 85 per cent of the costs are covered for projects, said Murray. Projects can include cross-fencing and remote waterers for rotational grazing, seeding costs for cover crops, or soil sampling and developing farm-specific fertilizer plans.

The fund is also more accessible than some programs that require farmers to complete an environmental farm plan.

“The OFCAF program doesn’t,” said Murray. “It just requires working with a professional agrologist or certified crop advisor to get your plan approved before you submit it.”

Rotational grazing projects have been popular, as have watering systems to keep cows out of dugouts.

“There’s been some applications dealing with pasture rejuvenation and establishing legumes,” she said. “A couple of folks I know are applying for manure management, which falls under the nitrogen management part of the program. Lots of people have been taking advantage of that.”

Murray noted there are other funding opportunities for producers, notably the Resilient Agriculture Landscape Program and other programs that are part of the new five-year Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership agreement between Ottawa and the province.

“Hopefully anyone who wants to get something done can go through these programs,” she said.

The number of producers applying for these grants shows there’s a lot of interest in trying new approaches, said Bloom.

“I think it’s popular because producers are eager to try new managements that help them get some advantages or benefits,” she said. “They’ve been seeing their neighbours successful with rotational grazing or other different best management practices.

“It got them excited and intrigued when the funding came along to try to help with the substantial costs. I think people were eager to try.”

There was a lot of interest in her area, said Dianne Westerlund, manager of Chinook Applied Research Association in Oyen, adding two of her staff have been helping producers submit applications.

“They’ve shared information about the program at some extension meetings and they’ve done some one-on-one work with groups, guiding them and putting their proposals together.”

Westerlund said she doesn’t know if any of the proposals have been approved, but things are moving along.

“I believe, last week, the majority of applicants were made aware that the applications had not been processed yet, but if they wanted to proceed with the project, they could go ahead and make purchases and do what they needed to,” Westerlund said on May 1. “If their proposal was approved, they would be eligible to claim expenses back to April.”

The program seems to be attracting a range of applicants.

“For some, it’s expanding on what they might have been doing (already),” she said. “For others, it’s venturing into something totally new that they would not be doing if they had not had that funding support.”

Lance Ouellette, manager of the North Peace Applied Research Association in Manning, said he has helped more than 20 people fill out applications.

About 60 per cent were applying for tools for rotational grazing, like waterers and cross fencing.

“It was a technology that they couldn’t afford at the time, and now they have a little bit more help to take on these technologies and do more rotational grazing,” he said. “The timing was right. A lot of producers are trying to feed cows on less, making it less costly to feed cows throughout the year and I think it worked out really nice.”

Cover cropping was the second most popular stream for producers in Ouellette’s area. People were applying to use annual cover crops or swath grazing where they would seed in mid-June and swath graze in November.

“It was an opportunity for them to take on more practices that they know are beneficial for them,” he said. “Year-round grazing, keeping the cows on the ground, not having to pay for an offsite watering system, things like that. It’s very good for the cattle guys.”

For more information on the On-Farm Climate Action Fund, go to www.rdar.ca. (At the bottom of the OFCAF page is a sign-up for e-news updates).

Two other organizations are also taking applications from producers in Alberta but each only deals with one part of the program. The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association is dealing with rotational grazing applications in four provinces while the Canola Council of Canada will be distributing $22 million for nutrient management projects in the three Prairie provinces.

There is some overlap with the climate fund program and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the new joint federal-provincial ag funding agreement. This agreement covers several programs, including the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program and Farm Technology program. Details can be found at alberta.ca/sustainable-cap.aspx.

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First put forward in the 2021 budget and expanded in the 2022 budget, the fund’s aim is to help farmers implement immediate on-farm beneficial management practices that store carbon and reduce greenhouse gases in the areas of nitrogen management, cover cropping and rotational grazing.

ESN (Environmentally Smart Nitrogen) is the trade name of an enhanced efficiency fertilizer. It is part of a smaller subcategory of products known as controlled-release fertilizers in which urea is either bound to molecules that degrade slowly or enclosed within polymer coatings to allow the urea to diffuse.

So far, AAFC’s direction is specific to products containing polymer-coated urea. Of these, ESN is the primary product for sale in Western Canada.

“We were informed that ESN fertilizer products did not qualify for the enhanced efficiency fertilizer [incentive],” said canola council vice-president Curtis Rempel.

The organization disputes the government’s rationale for removing ESN from the list of qualifying products and is making its case using data from independent researchers and universities as well as from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

“Our position is that ESN does reduce nitrous oxide emissions during our short-season, dryland prairie conditions,” he said.

The canola council’s position aligns with research done by the University of Manitoba’s Mario Tenuta. The soil scientist has done 16 experiments with ESN that saw an average 23 per cent reduction in nitrous oxide. However, studies from AAFC out of Ontario and Quebec show little to no nitrous oxide reduction.

Rempel says the council doesn’t dispute that data, but he’s hoping the department moves away from a blanket approach and toward one that takes regional differences into account.

While ESN is marketed as a yield-enhancing product, it is designed to protect nitrogen from being lost to leaching, which isn’t usually a problem on the Prairies. Research plot testing shows nitrous oxide reduction but little yield benefit.

“All the yield increase that we see in research plots is minor. In fact, it’s infrequent that we see yield increases so it’s been a tough sell,” said John Heard, soil fertility specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.

With an incentive that covers 85 per cent of the additional cost, there was hope it would be a good opportunity to test drive the product on farms.

Despite being at odds with regarding ESN, Rempel says the program generally has merit.

“I’m impressed with AAFC for looking at mitigation measures and providing dollars directly to growers to start adopting best management practices that have some inherent risk to them,” he said.

“Research obviously starts with good small plot work, but at some point in time, you’ve got to scale it up,” he said. “This is a way to do it.”

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“This is a program that will deliver directly to the farm gate, so farmers will receive a direct benefit, which is something unusual,” said Mark Redmond, chief executive officer of Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), one of 12 national partners for the federally funded program.

The program will cover 85 per cent of project implementation costs, up to $75,000 per farm.

OFCAF’s website went live on July 28, and applications opened Aug. 4. The program will operate until March 31, 2024. Information, including details about informational webinars, can be found online.

Redmond said the application is fairly straightforward and several webinars were scheduled for August to walk producers through the process and background work before their plan is filed into the research management database. Applications can be accessed online.

“We have a special OFCAF team within RDAR who are available for your access and who will be bringing in other resources to help us deploy the program and help offer some guidance once you’re in the program,” he said.

Creating a BMP plan

“The key to this program is the successful adoption of beneficial management practices. That will require a map and a mapping of the farm so target zones for improvement will be identified. What you’re doing is identifying the management zones,” said Redmond. “Part of the plan for the farmer is to be able to engage a professional agrologist or a certified crop advisor to review the plan.”

Many farms in Alberta have already put an environmental farm plan in place, said Redmond.

“If you have one of those, then you’ve got a head start at getting OFCAF implemented on your farm. The major driver behind the program from Agriculture Canada’s perspective is to collect data, analyze the data and for that to help, not only the producers’ decision-making in how to implement technology, but also how this will guide policy in the future.”

Regarding the federal target of reducing 30 per cent of nitrogen emissions by 2030, Redmond said it will be important to demonstrate the effects of these changes in practice, particularly in fertilizer management. He noted there are beneficial management practices such as variable-rate seeding and fertilizer application or other precision agriculture tools.

“We don’t know how effective they are in the field for changing the environmental factors that we are looking to affect, so this program will allow producers to adopt some of the processes, but also offset some of the costs of getting set up to run these different procedures.”

EFP lite

For example, in the case of rotational grazing, a producer could divide a large paddock and use GPS fencing as opposed to electric fencing, Redmond said.

In that case, the costs of the fencing and the management professional will be covered.

Costs that can be covered are listed on the rdar.ca/ofcaf website, but some eligible costs include baseline measurements, equipment rental, soil testing and soil mapping.

“It’s about getting those baselines, getting the action plan and the cost of adopting that action plan. Those will all be eligible. Getting help with the analysis will be something that will follow,” Redmond said.

The program is an opportunity for farmers to make improvements without taking on a lot of financial risk.

“There are some really good tools and beneficial management practices available right now. If you want to try them, and you don’t want to put major areas of production at risk, the OFCAF program will help reduce that risk, lower the barriers to adoption, and point us in the direction of what techniques are suitable,” Redmond said.

The scope of the program is quite large, and about 19 per cent of Alberta’s farms will be expected participate, he said.

He estimates about 540 farms will be involved in cover cropping programs, 1,200 will take on rotational grazing initiatives and 6,000 will participate in nitrogen management.

“The belief is that the tools are there. It’s just a means of using the tools and OFCAF will help the producers with learning what tools are best.”

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