Applications for year two of Canola 4R Advantage to open on June 26

The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) is inviting applications for year two of Canola 4R Advantage through a new digital portal opening on June 26. Canola 4R Advantage, funded through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), offers financial support to growers as they initiate or advance 4R Nutrient Stewardship on their farms.

The new, user-friendly digital portal will be available at canolacouncil.org/4r-advantage, and will allow growers to check the status of their participation through all stages of the process, from applying to submitting claims.

“We’re excited to launch the second year of Canola 4R Advantage and continue to build on canola growers’ leadership in sustainability,” says Jim Everson, CCC president. “Our program is focused on 4R practices to make the most efficient use of a growers’ fertilizer investment, which is good for farm productivity and the environment.”

To help growers prepare, the CCC has posted a demo video on how to apply, as well as a recorded webinar on year two program enhancements.

Additional benefits in year two

Year two of Canola 4R Advantage will cover expenses invoiced and paid by growers between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. In year two, the program is expanding opportunities in several ways:

• More dollars per BMP: Growers can now seek up to $20,000 in assistance for each of the four eligible BMPs (soil testing, field zone mapping, enhanced efficiency fertilizer and preferred application) versus $6,000 per BMP in year one. Please note that year two applications for the preferred application BMP will be paused until 2024, when seasonal price differentials for nitrogen fertilizer can be determined.
• More BMPs per farm: Each farm can seek support for all BMPs covered by the program, versus a maximum of two BMPs in year one.
• Added eligibility for 4R plan development: The program can reimburse a portion of the consulting fees paid for a 4R designated agronomist to develop a growers’ 4R Nutrient Stewardship Plan.
• Funding continued adoption of new practices: Growers can seek funding to continue BMPs that were started since February 7, 2022.

Other program details established by AAFC will remain in place, including the 85 per cent reimbursement cap for eligible expenses and a maximum $75,000 limit in total funding received by a farm business across all OFCAF programs over the two-year OFCAF program lifetime.

For complete program details, visit canolacouncil.org/4r-advantage.

The Canola Council of Canada is a full value chain organization representing canola growers, processors, life science companies and exporters. Keep it Coming 2025 is the strategic plan to ensure the canola industry’s continued growth, demand, stability and success. For more information, visit canolacouncil.org or follow CCC on Twitter @canolacouncil.