Governments Investing to Increase Workforce Diversity in Agriculture

Sep 24, 2024

Toronto, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $1.5 million in the new Agricultural Workforce Equity and Diversity Initiative (AWEDI) to help minority groups start and build businesses in the agri-food sector.

Funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), AWEDI provides grants of up to $100,000 to support business ventures led by primary agricultural producers and food processors who are Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ people, persons with disabilities, youth, women or members of French linguistic minority communities.

AWEDI is open to applications from organizations, research bodies, municipalities or Indigenous communities. Successful projects will support underrepresented groups in accessing spaces and equipment to grow or process agri-food products, as well as resources to help with financing.

Applications open on October 8, 2024, and will remain open until December 3, 2024.

The Sustainable CAP is a 5-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada's agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

Source : Canada.ca

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.