Building Resiliency One Seed at a Time

By Brittany Compton, Communications Consultant, Communications Branch, Regina

Sustainability and resiliency are the keys to a successful agriculture industry. That is why the Ministry of Agriculture continues to prioritize environmental programming for producers that support practices that enhance soil health, water quality and biodiversity.

On April 1, the federal and provincial governments launched a new suite of programs for Saskatchewan producers under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.

Under Sustainable CAP, the Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program (RALP), an evolution of the Farm Stewardship Program under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership was launched. RALP provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers for implementing beneficial management practices (BMPs) on their agricultural land. It helps producers achieve better water quality, soil health, and biodiversity by using effective management practices.

Through RALP, eligible producers can receive cost-share funding to implement approved BMPs:

• Land Use BMPs
  • Seeding Forage - Tame Forage Stream;
  • Seeding Forage - Native Forage Stream; and
  • Targeted Grazing.
• Grazing Management BMPs
  • Native Rangeland Stream;
  • Riparian Stream; and
  • Rangeland Health Assessment.
• Livestock Stewardship BMPs
  • Intensive Livestock Management;
  • Extensive Wintering Site Management;
  • Livestock Water Protection; and
  • Sulphate Water Treatment.

Since the beginning of Sustainable CAP, the Tame Stream of the Seeding Forage BMP has been quite popular. Now offered as a rebate, the BMP supports producers to convert cropland to perennial forage cover. Not only do perennial grasses and legumes sequester carbon, they also improve water filtration and reduce soil erosion. By working with a Ministry of Agriculture agri-environmental specialist, producers can create an approved seed blend that suits their operation.

Producers who use this BMP can receive a 50 per cent rebate to a maximum of $30,000. The maximum eligible payment for establishment is $25 per acre and the maximum payment for eligible seed is $35 per acre.

“We have received many inquiries about the Tame Stream of the Seeding Forage BMP,” said Kelsey Ellis, senior program analyst with Programs Branch. “With nine applications received, we can see that there is growing interest in this particular BMP.”

One of the interesting components of the BMP is the new five-year land use agreement. If a producer commits to maintaining the tame forage stand for five years, they are eligible for an additional $100 per acre to a maximum of $60,000.

“Producers signing a land use agreement receive $100/ac to maintain the forage for five years,” Ellis explained. “This can help offset some of the income producers may forgo by not seeding annual crops on those lands. Seeding forage can also have benefits for the land itself including improved soil health and provision of habitat for beneficial insects and other species.”

Producers may also opt into adding up to five pollinator species into their approved seed blend at a flat rate of $10 per acre for each species (alfalfa is not eligible). This adds to the beneficial impact of the BMP.

RALP offers many effective BMPs, each created to benefit the environment as well as the producer. If you have questions about the program or which BMPs you should implement on your operation, reach out to your local agri-environmental specialist by calling the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377