Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program (RALP)

Each BMP has its own funding limits and eligibility requirements. Program payments are subject to a minimum rebate of $250. The minimum claim is $500.

*Additional payment of $20/acre/year and increased cap is available to producers signing a five-year land use agreement.

Separate applications must be made for each eligible project. To learn more about a specific BMP, please refer to the BMP page in the pre-approval or rebate section below.

• Saskatchewan agricultural producers (individual, partnership or corporation) who can demonstrate a minimum of $50,000 in gross farm income in Saskatchewan in the year of application or the year prior to the application.
• Individual applicants are at least 18 years of age.; or
• First Nation Bands in the Province of Saskatchewan; or
• Crown Land Pasture Associations in Saskatchewan are eligible for Land Use and Grazing Management BMPs as well as the Sulphate Water Treatment BMP.
• Must have a Saskatchewan Premises Identification (PID) number.

Our rebate programs allow flexibility for new entrants to become eligible if they are confident they will be able to provide proof of meeting the gross farm income threshold within the five-year term of Sustainable CAP. Complete the below New Entrant Self-Assessment for details:

New Entrant Self-Assessment:

1. Did you earn less than $50,000 in gross farm income in the year of or the year prior to the application?
2. Have you recently (roughly within the last five years) made a significant purchase of land, livestock, or other investment for the purpose of farming, which will allow you to generate $50,000 in gross farm income by March of 2028?
3. Have you actively operated a farm or ranch and earned farm income for five years or less over the previous five years, either as a sole operator or with other related entities who have operated a farm or ranch for five years or less?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, please contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377 and ask to be connected with an agriculture programs specialist to discuss whether or not you are eligible as a new entrant.

The province is committed to supporting the success of Indigenous producers in the agriculture and food sector. We understand Indigenous applicants may have distinct characteristics reflecting regulatory, operational, cultural and other factors. We aim for flexibility in our program delivery to reduce barriers and ensure the accessibility of our programs. If you are interested in applying to the program and have questions about the application process or eligibility criteria, please call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1‑866‑457‑2377 and ask to be connected with the Building and Strengthening Indigenous Supports (BASIS) agriculture programs specialist who serves your location.

Persons related to an eligible applicant will be subject to the program’s maximum funding cap for that eligible applicant. Related applicants include:

• The maximum amount that may be paid to an eligible applicant, including persons related to an eligible applicant, may not exceed the maximum funding cap per applicant/related entity over the life of the program.
• “Related applicants” include but are not limited to spouses, business partners, relatives living in the same residence, individuals/entities which have controlling interests in more than one operation and operations that are not legally, financially or operationally sufficiently independent of other entities.
• In determining whether a person/entity is a related applicant, the ministry may consider the following factors:
  • whether the person/entity is engaged in a common enterprise with the applicant as a corporate affiliate or subsidiary, partner, member of a joint venture, trustee of a trust or estate in which the eligible applicant has a substantial beneficial interest or any other relationship which evidences an intention to share the profits or risk of loss of the operation with the eligible applicant;
  • whether the person/entity makes operational decisions in respect of the operation or makes those decisions jointly or in common with the eligible applicant;
  • whether the person is responsible to ensure that day-to-day operations are completed respecting the operation;
  • whether the person/entity and the applicant have access to common assets such as land, machinery, processing equipment, crop storage or animal handling facilities used in the operation;
  • whether the person/entity files separate income and expense statements for income tax purposes;
  • whether the person/entity maintains separate farm or business accounting records;
  • whether the person maintains a separate bank, credit union or trust company account;
  • whether the person has a separate Goods and Services Tax number;
  • whether the person/entity has any other financial interest in the operation; and
  • any other matter that the ministry believes is relevant to the legal, financial or operational independence of the operation.
• For more information about related applicants, please send an email to agprograms@gov.sk.ca or contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377.

Carbon Offsets

• The federal offset system does not currently include any protocols that would allow producers to generate credits from agricultural activities. However, should a federal agricultural protocol become available, RALP participants would be restricted from accessing offset credit payments from the federal offset system for activities they received payment for under RALP. More information on Canada's Greenhouse Gas Offset Credit System can be found on the Government of Canada website.
• Participation in RALP does not prevent participation in non-regulated voluntary offset markets. In those instances, the rules of each individual market determine eligibility.

Pre-approval is required for the majority of BMPs. Applicants are responsible for complying with any regulatory requirements, including obtaining any permits or approvals as required by law. If all required approvals are not obtained, the project will be ineligible for funding. The following are areas of special consideration, but each BMP will outline specific requirements.

Approvals:

• Written authorization from the landowner is required if the project involves construction and is located on land not owned by the applicant. When any improvement project (i.e., dugouts, fences, corrals, etc.) is completed on provincial Crown land, authorization from a Ministry of Agriculture land management specialist is required.
• An Aquatic Habitat Protection Permit (AHPP) from the Water Security Agency is required prior to commencement of any work occurring in the bed, bank or boundary of a water body or watercourse. Work conducted on water bodies or watercourses that do not flow into other surface waters and are wholly within the boundaries of land owned by the person carrying out the activity are exempt from the permit. For AHPP inquiries, please contact 306‑787‑0726.

For more information about specific requirements, please contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1‑866‑457‑2377.

Agri-Environmental Risk Assessment

As a condition to access program funding, applicants are required to review the Agri-Environmental Risk Assessment before beginning their project.

It is the responsibility of the producer to determine if a project is located in an environmentally sensitive area. The HabiSask online mapping tool is available to assist producers applying for certain BMPs to determine if their project(s) is/are located in an environmentally sensitive area.

Projects located in environmentally sensitive areas may have special requirements such as:

• Wildlife Habitat Protection Act (WHPA): Any Crown lease lands designated under WHPA require approval prior to proceeding with any project. Please contact a Ministry of Agriculture land management specialist for more information.
• Crown Conservation Easement (CCE): Any private lands with a CCE registered on title require approval from the Ministry of Environment prior to proceeding with any project outside of what is permitted under Section 6.0 of the easement. Please contact the Ministry of Environment at 1‑800‑567‑4224 for more information.
• Critical Habitat: Any private or Crown lands federally designated as critical habitat under the Species at Risk Act for a federally listed species at risk requires project approval prior to commencing work. To determine if your project is on critical habitat land, please call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1‑866‑457‑2377.
• Antelope Migration Routes: Projects taking place within antelope migration routes may have special activity restrictions. To determine if these restrictions apply to your project, please call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, at 1‑866‑457‑2377.

Each BMP has its own eligible expense. Refer to individual BMP Guidelines in the pre-approval or rebate sections below for details.

The following expenses or activities are considered ineligible across all BMPs:

• Projects commencing prior to April 1, 2023
• Invoices dated prior to April 1, 2023
• Invoices not issued in the applicant's name
• In‐kind freight/mileage
• In‐kind material such as rocks, sand, gravel or clay
• In-kind payment (i.e., trading) for third-party services/supplies
• In-kind labour
• Materials from the applicant's inventory
• Fabricated items, equipment or materials not purchased from a recognized dealer. For the purposes of the program, a recognized dealer is typically defined as a business where manufacturing is a key service or the business is an authorized dealer for certain item(s)
• Leased, used or self-made equipment, including any equipment or materials purchased at auction
• Expenses considered regular replacement, repair or maintenance
• Purchase of land/property or payment of easements
• Financing, interest, legal fees or taxes
• Any submissions for rebate using a third-party contractor must be at arm’s-length, or the submission will be considered to be using in-kind labour and original invoices for all materials will be required.
• Costs claimed for expenses/activities which may receive funding from other Sustainable CAP programs or from any other government, agency, not for profit corporation or charitable organization or association.
• Permanent Shelters.

The following BMPs require pre-approval before the project is started. Projects started before applying for pre-approval are at the applicant's own risk and funding is not guaranteed. Producers are required to submit a Pre-Approval Application before they can submit a Claim Form.

• Targeted Grazing
• Grazing Management
  • Native Rangeland Stream
  • Riparian Stream
• Intensive Livestock Management
  • Manure Storage Stream
  • Run-off Control Stream
  • Livestock Relocation Stream
• Extensive Wintering Site Management
• Livestock Water Protection
• Sulphate Water Treatment

Download the RALP Pre-Approval Application

Pre-approval applications must be received by December 31, 2027, for projects to be completed by March 31, 2028.

The following BMPs are offered as rebates. However, certain project requirements will need to be met before producers begin projects. See the BMP page linked below for more details.

• Seeding Forage
  • Seeding Tame Forage
  • Seeding Native Forage
• Rangeland Health Assessment

Note: As a condition to access Rangeland Health Assessment BMP funding, applicants must complete the Pre-project Implementation Checklist and use the Ministry of Agriculture's Grazing Plan Template. As a condition to access program funding, applicants are required to review the Agri-Environmental Risk Assessment before beginning their project.

Applicants must work with their local Ministry of Agriculture agri-environmental specialist to select their seed blends and complete their rebate application. Please call the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377 to connect with a specialist in your area.

Download the Rangeland Health Assessment BMP Rebate Application

Applications for rebate must be received on or before March 31, 2028.

Projects must have started on or after April 1, 2023, and be completed with claim submitted within 18 months of project approval, or by March 31, 2028, whichever is earlier.

As a condition to access program funding, applicants are required to review the Agri-Environmental Risk Assessment before beginning their project.

Completed pre-approval applications, rebate applications, or claim forms can be submitted by email to agprograms@gov.sk.ca or by mail to:

Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program
Ministry of Agriculture, Programs Branch
329 – 3085 Albert Street
Regina SK  S4S 0B1