The Rural Voice, 2005-10, Page 47News in Agriculture
Dombrowsky announces drainage program
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Ontario
Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky • Providing grants to municipalities
unveiled details of the new $6 million to cover one half of the cost of
Agricultural Drainage Infrastructure employing a drainage superintendent
Program (ADIP) at the 2005 • Clarifying what parts of a drainage
International Plowing Match and project are eligible for grants.
Rural Exposition at Listowel. Dombrowsky said drainage
The new program includes better infrastructure is extremely important
defined funding criteria which will in rural areas to help reduce flooding,
maximize the use of taxpayers' crop and property damage, and
dollars by: improve safety. The province has
• Providing grants to agricultural listened to concerns and is investing
landowners for up to one third of the in communities, she said.
costs for new drain construction or The ministry consulted
improvement projects extensively with stakeholders to
• Covering up to two-thirds of the ensure the new program meets their
costs for this work in Northern needs and will be sending
municipalities more information on
program details and application
deadlines for this fiscal year. During
the fall, ministry staff will be hosting
several meetings across the province
with municipalities and
representatives of the drainage
industry to provide details of the
ADIP answer questions and
distribute application forms. The
ministry typically pays grants on
approximately 250 drain
construction/jmprovement projects
and approximately 1,500
maintenance projects annually,
involving thousands of agricultural
properties.0
Mitchell announces $20 million for CAWSEP
Ontario farm and agribusiness
operators now have access to over
$20 million in their ongoing efforts
to care for the health of, the
environment and reduce greenhouse
gas emissions, following an
announcement by federal minister of
agriculture Andy Mitchell at the
opening of the IPM in Listowel.
The Greencover Canada Program
will support projects that enhance
biodiversity, prevent wind and water
erosion of precious farmland and
improve the quality of surface water
and groundwater. The Canada -
Ontario Water Supply Expansion
Program (COWSEP) will help
Ontario producers develop, conserve
and enhance sustainable water
supplies.
"The Greencover Canada and
Water Supply Expansion programs
support the agriculture industry in its
longstanding tradition of carefully
managing the environment," said
Mitchell. "Canadian producers are
dedicated to sound environmental
practices, and the Government of
Canada is pleased to provide strong
programs to assist them"
Under Greencover Canada, the
Government of Canada will
contribute $15 million in financial
and technical assistance to help
producers improve water quality in
streams, rivers and lakes, adopt
sustainable land use practices, reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and
enhance fish and wildlife habitat.
Producers who have completed an
Environmental Farm Plan and
identified an eligible project under
one of Greencover's Beneficial
Management Practices (BMPs)
categories may qualify for up to
$20,000 in cost -shared funding to
help implement their project. Projects
such as establishing buffer strips of
❑ ❑ ❑
- Safe & Professional
Dismantling of Barns & Wooden Structures
• Insured •
NOSTALGIC SALVAGE INC.
Danny Farrow
519-323-0175 565 Perth St. N., Mount Forest 1-888-643-8410
42 THE RURAL VOICE
permanent vegetation along streams
and rivers and fencing to limit
livestock access to watercourses will
be eligible.
Through COWSEP, the
Government of Canada will provide
$5.6 million in technical and
financial assistance. Primary
producers, agricultural and
conservation groups, rural
communities and municipalities,
agribusinesses and rural enterprises,
educational institutions and
provincial government agencies and
Crown corporations are eligible for
COWSEP assistance.
Under COWSEP, three types of
projects will be eligible for
assistance: Tier 1 — on-farm water
projects; Tier 2 — multi-user water
supplies; and Tier 3 — strategic
initiatives. The Government of
Canada will allocate up to $2.2
million for each of the on-farm and
multi-user programs, and up to $1.2
million for strategic initiatives. The
provincial government will match the
federal government's contribution
towards multi-user projects over the
lifetime of the program.
"The Greencover and Water
Supply programs, along with the
Environmental Farm Plan and
Canada -Ontario Farm Stewardship
Programs, are important tools to help
Ontario producers protect our water?'
said Dombrowsky. "We are listening
Continued on page 43