News Press Releases

Minister Bibeau announces program open to applicants to help farmers and agri-businesses develop and adopt clean technologies

ENV, AGR | June 16, 2021

Canada NewsWire

OTTAWA, ON , June 16, 2021 /CNW/ - Farmers and agri-businesses in Quebec and across Canada are leaders in climate-smart agriculture, finding new ways to make their operations more sustainable. To help them continue towards a low-carbon economy, the Government of Canada is supporting the research, innovation and adoption of clean technologies.

Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced that the new $165.7-million Agricultural Clean Technology Program is now open to applicants.

This new program provides farmers and agri-businesses with access to funding to help develop and adopt the latest clean technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance their competitiveness.

The new program has two funding streams:

The Adoption Stream will support the purchase and installation of proven clean technologies and solutions that show meaningful reductions in GHG emissions.
The Research and Innovation Stream will support pre-market innovation including research, development, demonstration and commercialization of agricultural clean technologies.

The two-step intake process to apply launches today. Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until funding has been fully committed or otherwise announced by the program. For more information about eligibility and to apply, visit Agricultural Clean Technology Program: Research and Innovation Stream or Agricultural Clean Technology Program: Adoption Stream .

The Government of Canada's strengthened climate plan supports the development and adoption of cleaner practices and technologies that further reduce GHG emissions and protect the land, water and air that farmers depend on for their long-term sustainability.

Quote

"Canadian farmers are good stewards of the land and leaders in sustainable agriculture. In the face of this new climate reality and the expectations of Canadian and foreign consumers who want to know that their food has been sustainably produced, we must double down on our efforts, particularly by investing in the development and adoption of energy-efficient technologies. Together, we will grow our agricultural sector in an even more sustainable way."
- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick Facts

The agriculture sector has generated approximately 10% of Canada's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually since 1990.
Canada's agricultural industry is already making contributions in the fight against climate change, as farmers and agri-businesses continue to make their operations more sustainable. Thanks to innovative best practices and technologies, agricultural production in Canada has doubled over the last 22 years while emissions have remained relatively stable.
The new $165.7-million Agricultural Clean Technology Program will focus on three priority areas: green energy and energy efficiency; precision agriculture; and the bioeconomy. The program will allocate $50 million specifically for the purchase of more efficient grain dryers for farmers across Canada and $10 million towards powering farms with clean energy and moving off diesel.
The program's two-step application process includes first submitting a Project Summary Form, which will help to determine a project's eligibility and alignment with program criteria and priorities. Those successful at this stage will be invited to submit a full application.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates that this program has the potential to reduce up to 1 megaton of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide equivalent) from the Earth's atmosphere.
The new program is part of the government's strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy , which is a key pillar in the government's commitment to create over one million jobs, restoring employment to pre-pandemic levels.
As part of this climate plan, the Government of Canada launched the $185 million , 10-year Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS), to help develop and implement farming practices to sequester carbon and tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Budget 2021 committed an additional $200 million to support the adoption of practices that will accelerate emission reductions in the sector.