Agriculture Stewardship Program
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Program Contact: Name: Daniel Muir E-mail: dfmuir@gov.pe.ca Phone: 894-0340 |
| Resources: |
PROGRAM OBJECTIVE
The Agriculture Stewardship Program (ASP) is provided under Growing Forward 2, a Federal-Provincial-Territorial Initiative. The commitment of the Growing Forward 2 Program to Canada’s agricultural sector, through ASP, helps ensure that the agriculture sector contributes to society’s priorities of clean soil, water and air resources and improved biodiversity.
Eligible program categories:
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BMP
Category
|
Cost Share
|
Eligible CPEIASP 2011/2012
Best Management Practices
|
Project
Advisor
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Category Funding Cap
|
|
|
66%
|
1.1 Erosion Control Structures
|
Gwen Vessey
Tyler Wright Josh Dillman |
$50,000
|
| $25 per acre up to $3000 per year |
1.2 Crop residue management - 25% cover immediately after planting
|
$6,000
|
||
| $15 per acre up to $2500 per year |
1.3 Primary Residue Tillage-spring of fall 20% coverage
|
$5,000
|
||
| $15 per acre up to $3000 per year |
1.4 Furrow damming
|
$5,000
|
||
| $20 per acre |
1.5 Strip Cropping
|
$2,000
|
||
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50%
|
2.1 On-farm fuel storage; double walled tanks only
|
George Piercey |
$7,000
|
|
|
50%
|
2.2 On-farm pesticide storage
|
$8,000
|
||
|
30%
|
2.3 On-farm silage storage
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$25,000
|
||
|
50%
|
2.4 Improved manure storage
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$50,000
|
||
|
50%
|
2.5 Covered feedlot - impermeable base and roof for minimizing livestock runoff
|
$30,000
|
||
|
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50%
|
3.1 Alternate watering systems
|
Tyler Wright
|
$8,000
|
|
50%
|
3.2 Improved stream crossings for farm machinery
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$25,000
|
||
|
30%
|
3.3 Power to remote sites for alternate watering systems
|
$4,500
|
||
|
66%
|
3.4 Fencing and livestock stream crossings
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$15,000
|
||
|
50%
|
4.1 Agricultural water quality
|
Josh Dillman
|
$15,000
|
|
|
4.2 On-farm water use efficiency
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||||
|
30%
|
4.3 Improved irrigation efficiency
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|||
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30%
|
4.4 Sustainable agricultural water supply
|
|||
|
75%
|
4.5 Well water management
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$6,000
|
||
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|
50%
|
5.1 Nutrient management planning
|
Erica MacDonald
Barry Thompson Shuana Mellish |
$3,000
|
|
|
30%
|
6.1 On-farm energy management
|
Josh Dillman
|
$10,000
|
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The ASP offers technical and financial support to encourage producers to voluntarily implement beneficial management practices (BMPs) that reduce environmental risk and enhance Prince Edward Island’s soil, water, air and biodiversity resources.
The ASP is funded by the federal and provincial governments and is delivered by the Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
The Agriculture Stewardship program is divided into 6 program categories:
- Soil Management
- Storage Management
Includes: On-farm pesticide storage, On-farm silage storage, Improved manure storage, Covered feedlots (Impermeable base and roof), On-farm fuel storage (doubled walled tanks only) - Buffer Zone/Riparian Management
Includes: Alternative livestock watering systems, Improved farm machinery stream crossings, Fencing & livestock stream crossings, Power to remote watering sites - Water Management
Includes: Agricultural water quality, On farm water use efficiency, Well water management, Improved irrigation efficiency, Sustainable agriculture water supply - Nutrient Management
Includes: Nutrient management planning - Energy Management
Includes: On farm energy efficiency
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
- Any Agricultural Land holders that have valid, up to date Environmental Farm Plans (EFP) completed on land in production.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Best management practices that have been identified in the applicant’s environmental farm plan, action plan.
The Project Advisor must approve the plan or design that is to be used for the project prior to commencement of the project.
Labour and the use of the applicant’s equipment may be eligible for cost sharing and included in the total cost of the project. Contact your project advisor for more information. In-kind work must be specified and approved at time of application. For all other eligible and ineligible expenses please see individual BMP category guidelines beginning on page 7.
ASSISTANCE
Financial assistance
The maximum allowable funding per farming operation is $75,000 over the 5 year Growing Forward 2 program.
The Agriculture Stewardship Program will operate on a cost share as well as a per acre funding basis. Funding levels vary depending on type of work and nature of project.
Please see the summary chart (on the next page) or the individual BMP guidelines (on page 7) for breakdown of funding per category.
Technical assistance
ASP project advisors provide technical assistance to applicants of the program. Technical assistance provided includes development and implementation of;
- soil conservation/erosion structures
- storages facilities (pesticide, fuel, manure, feedlot and on-farm silage)
- livestock watering and fencing
- stream crossings
- water management and efficiencies
- nutrient management
- energy efficiencies
APPLICATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS
An applicant needs to contact a Project Advisor to discuss the proposed project.
Before starting the project or incurring expenses, applicant must complete and submit a Project Application Form with all necessary information and documentation. A detailed application form is available from the program lead and at www.peifarm.ca
All applications will be reviewed by the ASP Administrator. Eligible projects will be reviewed by an internal body which will determine approval or denial. The decision of this body will be conveyed in writing to the applicant.
Environmental Farm Plan Coordinator verifies that the applicant’s EFP is up to date and indicates whether the project requested is a priority of the applicant’s EFP.
The applicant’s category funding caps are reviewed to ensure funding is available for project. Program Administrator approves the project in writing to the applicant and provides appropriate Construction Guidelines, where applicable.
CLAIMING PROCESS
Applicant completes project, pays invoices and submits claim form with appropriate documentation (original invoice and proof of payment) to the ASP Administrator.
Project Advisor completes final site visit if required, reviews claimed expenses, and recommends the claim for payment. Advisor ensures that all work meets program and CEAA construction guidelines.
Claiming of Project work can only be done when the ASP project is complete.
The claim form that is sent out with approval of the project must be filled in, signed, and dated by the producer and submitted back to the ASP Administrator along with all original detailed invoices, official receipts, cancelled cheques, or other official proof of payment.
Any in-kind work performed will be accounted for on a separate sheet sent out with approval letter. Rates of labour and equipment are calculated by the Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Forestry and added to the claim accordingly.
In-kind work will only be accepted with a claim if the work was originally included in estimates and approval for said work was given by ASP Administrator.
Claims must be received on or before the date mentioned in a producer’s approval letter unless adjustment is made by ASP Administrator or Project Advisor.
A claim form, along with details of required supporting documentation, is available from the ASP Administrator.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- An Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) must have been completed/updated within the past five years to be valid. For more information on completing an EFP or to update an existing EFP, contact the EFP Coordinator, PEI Federation of Agriculture at (902)368-7289.
- The EFP Coordinator must certify that the BMP for which the incentive is being requested has been identified in the applicants EFP Action Plan in order to qualify for ASP assistance.
- The maximum federal contribution under ASP is $75,000 per applicant over the four year term of the program.
- Funds will be available between April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2018 or until they are completely allocated, whichever comes first.
- Expenditures incurred prior to submission of project application are not eligible. Project expenses incurred after receipt of project application, up to the date of final written approval, are at the applicant’s risk.
- Any physical work funded through ASP must be appropriately managed and maintained by the applicant for a minimum of 15 years.
- Work must be completed to an approved standard as outlined in BMP Codes of Practice which are available through the ASP Administrator or Project Advisors.
- Personal information is collected under Section 31(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act R.S.P.E.I. 1988 c. F-15.01 as it relates directly to and is necessary for the Agriculture Stewardship Program. It will be used for determining eligibility for program assistance and will be shared with the Canada Revenue Agency regarding the taxable benefit and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada regarding claims, audits and evaluations of this program.
- Program guidelines and application forms may be revised at any time throughout the life of the program, at the discretion of the PEI Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
- Project approval will be based on available funding and will be at the Province’s discretion. As such, not all eligible projects will be approved.
- Recipients of funding under this program are consenting to the public release of their name, the amount of funding received, and the general nature of the project.
TERMINATION
This program is effective April 1, 2013 and will terminate on March 31, 2018.
This program may be altered or discontinued without notice by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
ADMINISTRATION
This program is administered by the Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
CONTACT
General Inquiries:
Agriculture Information Desk
PEI Department of Agriculture and Forestry
Toll-free: 1-800-734-3276
Tel: 368-4145
Email: peiextension@gov.pe.ca
Ver.1 04/26/13
Forms
| Agriculture Stewardship Program - Application Form |
