$34 million to support agricultural producers

Feb 20, 2024

Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec have announced 34 million to support farm businesses committed to improving their farming practices. This investment makes it possible to launch the third enrolment period of the Initiative ministérielle de rétribution des pratiques agroenvironnementales (Ministerial Initiative for the Rewarding of Agri-Environmental Practices). It will allow to support more than 1,200 new farm businesses, bringing the total to nearly 4,000, for a direct investment of $119 million.

The announcement was made today at Ferme Jocelyn Michon in Saint-Hyacinthe by the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Minister Responsible for the Centre-du-Québec region. To take account of the impact of last summer's weather conditions on businesses' ability to implement certain practices, Minister Lamontagne also announced a change in the terms of payment of financial assistance. As a result, a complete deferral of payments of unused amounts has been granted.

As part of the new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership 2023-2028, the federal government will contribute $24.1 million to the Initiative.

Source : Canada.ca

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.