Applications are open for the B.C. On-Farm Technology Adoption Program
The application window is open for B.C. farmers to apply for support related to investing in on-farm technology.
The B.C. government is accepting submissions for the B.C. On-Farm Technology Adoption Program until April 6.
The $2.5 million collaboration between the provincial and federal governments through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership helps farmers acquire necessary technology that also addresses labour shortages.
“Farmers and producers throughout B.C. are embracing cutting-edge technology to grow food more sustainably and provide our communities with fresher, more flavourful food,” B.C. Agriculture and Food Minister Lana Popham said in a statement. “This program helps these innovators adopt agritech so they can work more efficiently, stay competitive and strengthen local food systems and economies.”
Approved applicants can receive up to $100,000.
Eligible uses include automatic robotic arms for packing, stacking, and wrapping, and machines that support precise and repeatable planting.
Finding reliable ag labour in B.C. is a challenge as the industry’s demands outpace the domestic labour supply.
In 2017, for example, 23 per cent of the province’s total ag workforce was foreign workers.
The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council’s 2019 report on the B.C. agricultural job landscape indicates in 2029 the province will need 51,500 workers, and more than 15,000 jobs are at risk of going unfilled.
The On-Farm Technology Adoption Program started in 2023.
Since then, 134 farm projects have shared $6.4 million to support their futures.
Van Eekelen Enterprises in the Fraser Valley, for example, used its share of funding to purchase a robotic weeder for its field vegetables.
The robot can be taught to differentiate between weeds and crops to reduce herbicide use.