For Release: October 27, 2005

ONTARIO GOVERNMENT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
Projects Will Further Protect The Environment

TORONTO - The McGuinty government is helping farmers further protect the environment and our water supply by providing additional funding under the Nutrient Management Financial Assistance Program (NMFAP), Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky announced today.

"Agriculture is an integral part of our province's economic strength," said Dombrowsky. "By giving further assistance to our farmers, we are helping them to be strong and prosperous, and we are protecting our vital water supply for future generations."

The government is providing an additional $3.7 million under the program to help farmers make environmental improvements on their operations and meet the requirements of the Nutrient Management Act. These additional dollars mean that all eligible applicants will receive funding to help with nutrient management projects.

The program provides up to 60 per cent of the funds. When combined with financial assistance available from the federal government under the Agricultural Policy Framework, up to 90 per cent of a farmer's total costs could be covered.

Cheques covering the provincial portion of completed projects will be issued this week. Letters of approval for other applicants will also be issued as soon as possible.

"The large number of applications received for the NMFAP by the September 1 application deadline speaks to the commitment of producers to environmental stewardship," said Ron Bonnett, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. "The government's funding, together with the commitment of Ontario's farmers, will serve to better protect the environment for all Ontarians now and in the future."

This program, combined with other projects and practices Ontario farmers have implemented over the years, has reduced the risk to our water by ensuring the proper management of more than 4.2 billion litres of liquid animal waste and more than 740,000 tonnes of solid animal waste each year.

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Media Contact:
Kelly Synnott
Minister's Office
416-326-6439

Program Contact:
Charles Lalonde
Environmental Policy and Programs Branch
519-826-3577

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Nutrient Management Financial Assistance Program (NMFAP) is providing a total of $23.7 million to help farmers protect provincial water supplies, and assist with costs associated with becoming compliant with the Nutrient Management Act.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) contracted with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) to deliver the program. The OSCIA has a long history of facilitating responsible and economical approaches to the management of soil, water, air and crops, and administers similar programs for the federal government.

Initial details of the cost-share, NMFAP were announced in October 2004, with program enhancements announced in June 2005. An additional $3.7 million was announced today. The program will provide up to $60,000 for each eligible farm unit to make environmental improvements on their operations. Up to 90 per cent government cost-sharing is available when coupled with federal funding under the Canada-Ontario Farm Stewardship Program. Maximum amounts for many items eligible under the program were also increased in June.

The NMFAP was targeted to existing large livestock operators (e.g. livestock operations with more than 300 nutrient units) and shares the costs of a number of eligible items, including:

• New and/or improved manure storages and handling
• Farmyard runoff control and outdoor confinement areas
• Nutrient management strategy/plan development
• Water well management
• Vegetative buffer strip establishment
• Cropland erosion control structures
• Manure treatment technologies
• Technologies to recover nutrients from agricultural washwaters
• In-barn modifications to reduce the volume of manure
• On-farm nutrient product and waste management technologies.

Existing large livestock farms that fall under the Nutrient Management Act and regulation were eligible to apply for funding by September 1, 2005. Cheques covering the provincial portion of completed projects will be issued this week. Participants awaiting notification of the status of their applications will be contacted by the OSCIA as soon as possible.

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Media Contact:
Kelly Synnott
Minister's Office
416-326-6439

Program Contact:
Charles Lalonde
Environmental Policy and Programs Branch
519-826-3577