Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost

New investment builds pasture strength

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and competitiveness.

The Community Pastures Initiative, funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), helps pasture managers adopt best practices and technologies that boost productivity, support biodiversity, and build soil health.

The funding will cover up to 100% of eligible costs for several types of projects, including:

• Rotational grazing systems
• Resilient perennial forage crops
• Permanent grasslands and forage areas
• Riparian buffers and pollinator habitats
• Tree buffers and shelterbelts
• Wetlands and water retention systems
• Integrated grazing systems with trees and forage

“By investing in our community pastures, we’re supporting biodiversity, soil health, and resilient grazing systems— all key to a sustainable future for the sector,” said the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This will help strengthen Ontario’s cattle sector and the long-term health of our agricultural landscapes.”

“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. “This initiative will help farmers stay competitive and resilient in the face of economic uncertainty.”

"The Association of Community Pastures is very appreciative of the financial and planning support to the eleven community pastures which cover 6,400 hectares of land across Ontario. The best management practices supported by RALP provide a tremendous opportunity for each pasture to implement a diverse variety of projects to improve productivity through increased carrying capacity, rejuvenating land and improving livestock management. Our local community pasture boards are excited about this program and the fact that it will improve the long-term resilience of our community pastures," said Don Hargrave Chairman, Ontario Association of Community Pastures.