Government of Canada invests more than $8.7 million to help farmers adopt clean technologies to reduce greenhouse gas

Across the country, Canadian farmers are on the frontlines of climate change. On July 18, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced 28 additional projects under the Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program. This investment of more than $8.7 million will support the adoption of clean technologies across Canada.

Investments in clean technology are supporting farmers who must face the challenges of today—from drought to extreme weather—and propelling climate action to build a healthy future for Canada. This new investment builds on work already under way to help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop technology to adapt to climate change.

In Manitoba, more than $2.5 million will support five new projects. Under the ACT Program, farmers and agri-businesses will have access to funding to help develop and adopt the latest clean technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost their long-term competitiveness. This funding is focused on three priority areas: green energy and energy efficiency, precision agriculture; and bioeconomy solutions.

Through the recently expanded ACT Program, it is anticipated that current pollution levels will be reduced by up to 0.8 megaton as a result of fuel switching and decreased fuel consumption. This program is already helping hundreds of farmers with contributions of at least $50,000 to adopt clean technologies, including new grain dryers or barn heating systems.

The Government of Canada continues to make investments to create an enabling environment for the research, development and adoption of clean technology. This will help farmers and agri-businesses drive the changes required to achieve a low-carbon economy and sustainably feed a growing global population.

Quotes

″Recent droughts and flooding across Canada are another stark reminder that Canadian farmers are on the front lines of climate change. This new wave of innovative green projects announced today under our Agricultural Clean Technology Program demonstrates our intention to help farmers optimize the stewardship of the land, while increasing their productivity and profitability.″

- The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

″Here in Manitoba, we are working closely with farmers to develop and implement farming practices to sequester carbon and tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Through investments in local projects, such as Baker Farms’ new grain dryer, we continue to enable the adoption of practices that will accelerate emission reductions in the agricultural sector. With pivotal research and development under way, such as the work in the lab at Hylife Ltd. to offset fertilizer emissions, the future of farming in Canada is promising.″

- The Honourable Jim Carr, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre

Quick facts

• As part of the Emissions Reduction Plan launched in March 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $1 billion in new funding to accelerate the agricultural sector’s progress on reducing emissions and to remain a global leader in sustainable agriculture. This commitment includes an additional $330 million to the Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program, tripling the support for innovation and the development and adoption of clean technologies in the agricultural sector, and an additional $470 million for the On-Farm Climate Action Fund to broaden and extend the program past 2024.
  

• Announced today, through the ACT – Adoption Stream, 26 approved projects will support the adoption of clean technologies, with a priority on those that meaningfully reduce GHG emissions.
  

• And through the ACT – Research and Innovation Stream, two approved projects will support pre-market innovation including research, development, demonstration and commercialization of agricultural clean technologies.
  

• Projects and final funding are subject to negotiation of a contribution agreement.
  

• Program funding for the ACT – Adoption Stream is up to $100 million over five years with $50 million set aside for the purchase and installation of more efficient grain dryers for Canadian farmers, and up to $10 million over the next two years (2021–2023) is to be used toward powering farms with cleaner energy and moving off diesel fuel.