- 1. What this program offers
- 2. Eligibility
- 3. Before you apply
- 4. How to apply
- 5. Complete the application and apply
- 6. After you apply
- Contact information
1. What this program offers
Intake period: Open
Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until the end of the program on March 31, 2029, or until funding has been fully committed or otherwise announced here.
All projects must be completed by March 31, 2029.
Program objectives
The program will support the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector in identifying and advancing strategic opportunities that:
- foster innovative ideas, practices, or market oriented approaches developed collaboratively with sector partners
- strengthen sector wide competitiveness
- deliver benefits across Canada
The program helps the sector:
- proactively address new or emerging challenges by testing innovative technologies or methods
- These are new to Canada or have not previously been required in sector
- Projects will generate the evidence and insights needed to support sector-wide adaption
- develop, test or validate solutions that help the sector adapt to ongoing or evolving issues
- This will strengthen long term competitiveness and resilience within the sector
The program supports projects that include one or more of the following aspects:
- Developing national sector strategies (plans) and governance model refinements
- Creating new frameworks for:
- digital agriculture interoperability
- data standardization projects
- cyber security
- Developing biosecurity and surveillance frameworks for Canada's agriculture and agri food sectors
- Testing and adoption of automation improvements that increase sector competitiveness
- Pathfinding and feasibility projects to improve the competitiveness of sector technologies
- Sector led projects on climate sustainability planning
Funding
The maximum Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) contribution for a project will normally not exceed $1 million. You can apply for and receive funding for more than one project, but generally, funding will not be more than $5 million over 5 years for each applicant.
If approved, support is available in the form of repayable and non-repayable contributions.
Cost-sharing
Contributions toward eligible costs will normally be shared between AAFC and you as follows:
- AAFC — a maximum of 50%
- You — a minimum of 50%
AAFC may contribute up to 75% of total project costs where it deems that a project is a high priority for a sector or addresses a public safety concern of Canadians and clearly demonstrates the benefits to Canadians through significant levels of support (public and private interests). In exceptional cases, AAFC may contribute greater than 75%.
Your portion of the cost-share must be cash contributions.note 1 In-kind contributions are ineligible.