A look back at EFP and AAC’s role in EFP program delivery

Apr 21, 2016

The EFP is a voluntary self-assessment completed by farm businesses to increase their environmental awareness by recognizing positive steps already implemented and identifying areas for improvement..

Environmental cost-share programs can assist in implementing projects identified in a farm’s EFP action plan. The idea for the EFP originated from the Ontario farm community and farmers have been involved in every stage of EFP development since its inception 25 years ago. In Ontario, the EFP is delivered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA).

The EFP program began as a pilot project in 1993 in seven Ontario counties. Funding between 1992 and 1997 was provided by the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Land Management Assistance Program and the agricultural component of the federal Green Plan. Technical support for the program was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).

The Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) became involved in the EFP program in 1997 as an administrator of financial support through the CanAdapt program. The OFA received funding on behalf of OFEC to support innovative projects designed to foster increased long-term growth, self-reliance, employment and competitiveness for Ontario’s agriculture, agri-food sector and rural communities.

This aligned with the goals of the EFP program. Funding for the CanAdapt program was provided through AAFC’s Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development fund. The AAC continued to administer funds for the EFP until 2004 - the EFP program was the largest project investment by the AAC in its 20-year history.

Between 2005 and 2008 funding was provided by AAFC and OMAFRA under the Agricultural Policy Framework, an agreement among federal, provincial and territorial governments. Through the Growing Forward and Growing Forward 2 framework agreement, AAFC and OMAFRA have supported the continuation of the program delivered today by the OSCIA.

With over 35,000 participants since the program began, this internationally recognized program has been very successful in helping Ontario farmers make on-farm environmental improvements and adopt more environmentally sustainable practices.

Source: AAC

Video: Is China Buying US Soybeans + USDA Nov 14th Crop Report could be “Game Changing”

After a week of a U.S./China trade truce, markets/trade is skeptical that we have not seen a signed agreement nor heard much from China or seen any details. There are rumors that China is buying soybean futures & not the physical. Trust in Trump?
12 MMT of U.S. soybean purchases by China by year-end is better than 0 but we all need to give it more time and give it a chance to unfold. China did lower the tariffs on Ag and is buying U.S. wheat and sorghum.
U.S. supreme court could rule against Trumps tariffs, but the Trump administration does have a plan B.
U.S. government shutdown is now the longest in history at 38 days.
But despite a U.S. government shutdown we will be getting a USDA November crop report next Friday and it could be “game changing.” If the USDA provides a bullish surprise with lower U.S. corn and soybean yields and ending stocks that are lower than expected both corn and soybean futures will break out above their ceilings at $4.35/bu and $11.35/bu respectively.
The funds continued their selling in live and feeder cattle futures on continued fears that the Trump administration want to lower U.S. beef prices. The fundamentals have not changed, only market psychology has.
Stocks markets continue to worry about a weak U.S. job market, but you can blame ChatGPT for that. In the future, we will have a more efficient, productive and growing economy with a higher unemployment rate until we have more skilled AI workers.
After 34 new record highs in the S & P 500 and 124 new records in the NASDAQ in 2025 we are back to a correction and investor profit taking as AI valuations may have gotten too stretched near-term ahead of NVDA’s 3rd quarter earnings announcement on Nov. 19th. But this is not an AI bubble.
75% of Tesla shareholders approved a $1 trillion pay package for Elon Musk!
It has rained in South America in the last 7 days, but both the American and European models agree that Central Brazil remains dry in the next 14-days!

FBI says farmers could be victims of cyber-attacks

GFO denied seed treatment appeal by Ontario Court of Appeal