Cover Cropping- On-Farm Climate Action Fund

Overview of the Cover Cropping- On-Farm Climate Action Fund program:

For farmers who want to undertake a new practiceof cover cropping, where the planted cover crop will be left undisturbed over the winter (i.e., the crop cannot be chemically or physically terminated in the fall or winter). A new practice is a practice that has not been previously implemented by the applicant on the acres being applied for and can include planting cover crops to be left over-winter either for the first-time or where they have previously been terminated or harvested in the fall.

Benefits of the Cover Cropping- On-Farm Climate Action Fund program:

• Approved projects must result in a cover crop planted in 2024.
• Eligible costs may include:
• Seed costs (must be purchased from a supplier who is at arms length (e.g., unrelated) to the farm business)
• Costs of planting, which may include:
• Custom planting costs
• Rental of equipment for planting
• Purchase of equipment for planting, including broadcast and air seeders, no-till seeders, components for autonomous seeding

Eligibility criteria of the Cover Cropping- On-Farm Climate Action Fund program:

• Eligible farm businesses must be actively farming or own actively farmed land in Ontario, as demonstrated by:
• A valid farm business registration number (FBRN)
• OR
• A Religious Exemption Letter provided by the OMAFRA Appeal Tribunal (include with application submission)
• OR
• A Cultural Exemption Letter provided by the First Nations Agriculture & Finance Ontario to First Nations farmers, verifying the farm business operates in a First Nations community (include with application submission)
• OR
• 25 acres of land or more, assessed as Farm, as indicated by the most current Municipal Property Assessment Notice or Municipal Tax Bill in the name of the farm business (include with application submission)
• OR
• An income exemption from the Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program in the name of the farm business (include with application submission)
• Applicants must also have a valid Premises Identification (PID) Number for the farm property where the proposed project will be completed.