Money from EFP for Horticulture

The new Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan has lots of opportunities for horticulture producers. Each registered farm business has the potential to receive up to $45,000 in cost share money for on-farm environmental projects.

Aside from the normal EFP things like well head upgrades, fuel and pesticide storage, soil erosion protection and shelterbelts, money is available for the following horticultural items.

IPM

• Equipment modifications for improved IPM (spray curtains, air induction or low drift nozzles, injection systems, spray towers, pesticide recovery units, rate controllers, tank rinse systems, air assist, foam marker systems, or GPS)
• Weather monitoring/reporting and prediction equipment, materials and services from a qualified provider
• Record keeping software
• Traps and sampling equipment
• Costs of biocontrol or cultrual control practices
• Mobile water tanks for mounting on a trailer or truck

Irrigation

• Irrigation equipment (low pressure nozzles, pipes, hoses, booms, filters and emitters, installation costs, soil moisture monitoring equipment, flow meters with totalized outputs, rain guages)
• Water treatment units to meet fruit and vegetable washwater standards, irrigation water quality standards, or to remove ions and odour
• Water meters

Water Supply Expansion

• Drilling and construction costs for new wells, test drilling and deepening current wells for agricultural use
• Well development (pump testing, water quality samples, consulting fees)
• Hydrologic impact assessments fees for professionals
• Cisterns where required for agricultural use from low flowing wells
• Construction and consulting for new pond/reservoir (sized for drought, water quality sampling, hydro-G)
• Expansion of current pond
• Pond aeration systems, pond liners and intake works, and fencing

Fertigation

• Fertigation equipment (tanks, mixing, blending, metering systems, backflow valves
• Planter modifications to include drip tape
• Repairs and improvements to water intake systems

On-farm Composting

• Infrastructure and specialized equipment for composting (pads, walls, covers, vessels, conveyers, mixing, watering and monitoring)

Cull Fruit and Vegetable Management (liquids and solids)

• Modification and construction of storage and treatment facilities for liquid and solid fruit and vegetable waste.
• Recycling systems for waste waters (conservation tools to reduce water, storage, collection, and transfer systems)

Protection from Wild-life

• Fencing to protect high value crops, and drip irrigation systems
• Scaring and repellant systems (electronic, netting, noise, guard animals, and chemicals)

Funding is provided for anywhere from 30-50% of the project, depending on the particular details of the project. You have the opportunity to credit your time and machinery use as in-kind support for the project. Participants are also encouraged to take advantage of other sources of funding, for example your local conservation authority.

People who haven’t completed an EFP workbook need to attend the workshop, complete the EFP self assessment action plan and have their book confidentially peer reviewed. If you already have a “deemed appropriate” EFP action plan completed between 1993 and April 2004 it will be honoured until March 31, 2006 and you will not have to take another course.

Although there is lots of money available, it is available on a first come first serve basis. So, if any of the projects identified above are on your to do list, the time is now for horticulture producers to take advantage of this program.

Remember the program is called the “Environmental” Farm Plan so funding is available to help you move your EFP Action Plan rating from a “1” or “2” (poor) category into a “3” to “4” (best) category. Non environmental projects, such as hail netting, will not be funded.

This money can all be accessed through your local EFP coordinator. You find this information on the OSCIA web site at or by calling 1-800-265-9751.

Related Links:

• Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association