On-Farm Climate Action Fund expands

Feb 04, 2025

Farmers care deeply about the land and have been leaders when it comes to taking action to protect the environment and strengthen the competitiveness of our agricultural businesses and economy. Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced the expansion of the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), which will provide an additional $300 million to 13 initial recipients in continuation of their efforts to help farmers become more climate resilient over the next 3 years.

The 13 initial recipients are: B.C. Investment Agriculture Foundation, Canadian Forage and Grassland Association, ECOCERT Canada, Manitoba Association of Watersheds, Manitoba Métis Federation, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture, New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc., Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture, Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds and L'Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA). For additional project details, please visit the OFCAF page.

By lowering implementation costs for adopting on-farm practices, facilitating the availability of information and agronomic services, and enabling knowledge transfer to producers and agronomists through outreach and training, OFCAF helps remove obstacles to the broader adoption of beneficial management practices. Direct support to farmers falls under these target areas:

Cover Cropping: activities such as fall- or spring-planted cover crops (intercropping), and full-season annual or perennial cover crops in a rotation. Planting cover crops, like clover and alfalfa, cover the soil rather than being harvested, in turn adding nutrients that build organic matter, increase water access and, reduce soil erosion.
Nitrogen Management: activities like optimizing nitrogen use by increasing legumes in rotations, and using manure and other fertilizer substitutes can provide lasting benefits to soil, air and water quality.

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Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.