Ontario’s growing community pastures will receive up to $5 million to boost the resilience and productivity of community grazing land.
The funding was announced at the Ontario Forage Expo near Paisley June 26. The forage expo was put on by the Ontario Forage Council which will administer the community pastures program.
Why it matters: Community pastures play an important role in allowing farmers to work together to have efficiency feed for their cattle.
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Funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), the Community Pastures Initiative will provide funding to eligible projects that adopt technology and best management practices to improve land quality, enhance biodiversity and improve soil health over the long term, helping farmers stay competitive and resilient amid economic uncertainties. Sustainable CAP is funded by the federal and provincial governments.
“Through this program, natural features best management practices will be designed, constructed and maintained at participating pastures,” said Paul Vickers, MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound and parlimentary secretary to the minister of agriculture. He announced the program at the forage expo.
Selected projects could receive up to 100 per cent of eligible costs for designing, constructing, and maintaining rotational grazing systems, resilient perennial forage crop improvements, establishing permanent grassland, including forage, adding riparian, and pollinator buffers and habitats, as well as integrated tree, forage, and livestock grazing systems, wetlands, water retention and runoff control.
The Bruce County community pasture, not far from the forage expo near Underwood has been in operation for 60 years, said Don Hargrave, chair of the Ontario Association of Community Pastures during the announcement. He said the funding would help the 11 community pastures across the province. A 12th is in the process of being created in Lambton County.
“Ontario’s shared community pastures and grazing lands are essential resources in our agricultural landscape and play a vital role in building a stronger cattle and agri-food sector,” said Trevor Jones, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, in a release.
The Ontario Forage Council will administer the program and work with the Association of Community Pastures and support the co-development of eligible projects. For a complete list of eligible projects, information, and application details, contact the Ontario Forage Council or visit their website.
