The Farmland Health Incentive Program (FHIP) will return for producers in the Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (GLASI) eligible area this fall. This innovative stewardship program provides financial support for producers to implement select Best Management Practices (BMPs) that improve soil health and water quality. With up to $50,000 available per farm business over the duration of the three-year (2015 – 2018) program, this is an opportunity to make improvements to benefit your farm’s productivity and profitability, as well as the environment.
The 2017 program has been enhanced in a number of areas to provide opportunities to applicants in priority geographies, which have a strong need to support water quality improvements. Cost-share levels and caps have been adjusted to enable more projects to be funded, while the strengthened merit-based application review process now prioritizes projects located in the western and central Lake Erie basin. Enhanced soil health through the implementation of BMPs continues to be a very effective way for producers to have a positive impact on water quality, and the 2017 FHIP strives to support as many BMP implementation projects as possible.
Applications will be accepted during the three-week submission period of November 22 (12:00 noon) to December 13, 2016 (12:00 noon). Complete and eligible project applications will be considered for funding in the order in which they are received by OSCIA, with the priority basin (western and central Lake Erie) projects receiving first consideration for funding. Projects will be approved as funding permits. Applications, accessible through the OSCIA website, will be made available on November 15, 2016 in advance of the November 22nd submission period opening to offer producers additional time to prepare their submissions.
More detailed information on the Farmland Health Incentive Program is available.
Funding for GLASI is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
To be eligible for funding, farm businesses must have completed a Farmland Health Check-Up, offered free of charge through participating Certified Crop Advisors and have an Environmental
Farm Plan that was reviewed and verified by OSCIA within the past five years.
Source: OntariosoilCrop