MP Weiler announces program open to applicants to help farmers and agri-businesses develop and adopt clean technologies to reduce emissions and enhance competitiveness

PENTICTON, BC, June 17, 2021 /CNW/ - Farmers and agri-businesses in British Columbia and across Canada are leaders in climate-smart agriculture, finding new ways to make their operations more sustainable. To help them continue towards a low-carbon economy, the Government of Canada is supporting the research, innovation and adoption of clean technologies, with a focus on those that advance the bioeconomy.

Today, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Member of Parliament for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country, Patrick Weiler, announced that the new $165.7-million Agricultural Clean Technology Program is now open to applicants.

MP Weiler spoke during a virtual visit at Winecrush Technology Inc., an Okanagan-based agri-tech company. He also announced that Winecrush received up to $124,800 under the original Agricultural Clean Technology Program, which supported research and development for its Marlee project, a new biomechanical process to transform wine derivatives into natural food additives. 

This new program provides farmers and agri-businesses with access to funding to help develop and adopt the latest clean technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance their competitiveness. It will prioritize projects in three areas including the bioeconomy, which employs technologies that use agricultural waste and by-products for energy and bio-product generation.

The new program has two funding streams:

• The Adoption Stream will support the purchase and installation of proven clean technologies and solutions that show meaningful reductions in GHG emissions.
  
  
• The Research and Innovation Stream will support pre-market innovation including research, development, demonstration and commercialization of agricultural clean technologies.

Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until funding has been fully committed or otherwise announced by the program. For more information about eligibility and to apply, visit Agricultural Clean Technology Program: Research and Innovation Stream or Agricultural Clean Technology Program: Adoption Stream.

The Government of Canada's strengthened climate plan supports the development and adoption of cleaner practices and technologies that further reduce GHG emissions and protect the land, water and air that farmers depend on for their long-term sustainability.

Quotes 

"Our farmers and agri-food businesses here in British Columbia and across the nation constantly innovate and find new approaches to sustainably feed Canada and the world. Through the new Agricultural Clean Technology program, the Government of Canada is continuing to support their efforts by encouraging research, development and adoption of clean technologies to help protect the environment as well as capture new opportunities in the bioeconomy."
- Patrick Weiler, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country

"Thanks to the program, we were able to quantify the problem we needed to solve, develop key on-farm technology and processes, and successfully launch our purée into the plant-protein market. We are finding tremendous response from food producers around the world who are validating our value proposition including sodium reduction and flavour enhancement."
- Bill Broddy, Founder and President, Winecrush Technology Inc. 

Quick Facts

• The agriculture sector has generated approximately 10% of Canada's total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually since 1990.
• Canada's agricultural industry is already making contributions in the fight against climate change, as farmers and agri-businesses continue to make their operations more sustainable. Thanks to innovative best practices and technologies, agricultural production in Canada has doubled over the last 22 years while emissions have remained relatively stable.
• This program builds on the original Agricultural Clean Technology Program, a $25-million, three-year (2018-2021) investment to support research, development and adoption of clean technologies.
• The new $165.7-million Agricultural Clean Technology Program will focus on three priority areas: green energy and energy efficiency; precision agriculture; and the bioeconomy. The program will allocate $50 million specifically for the purchase of more efficient grain dryers for farmers across Canada and $10 million towards powering farms with clean energy and moving off diesel.
• The program's two-step application process includes first submitting a Project Summary Form, which will help to determine a project's eligibility and alignment with program criteria and priorities. Those successful at this stage will be invited to submit a full application.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates that this program has the potential to reduce up to 1 megaton of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide equivalent) from the Earth's atmosphere.
• The new program is part of the government's strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, which is a key pillar in the government's commitment to create over one million jobs, restoring employment to pre-pandemic levels.
• As part of this climate plan, the Government of Canada launched the $185 million, 10-year Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS), to help develop and implement farming practices to sequester carbon and tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Budget 2021 committed an additional $200 million to support the adoption of practices that will accelerate emission reductions in the sector.

Additional Links

Agricultural Clean Technology Program: Research and Innovation Stream 
Agricultural Clean Technology Program: Adoption Stream
Helping farmers and food processors adopt clean technologies to reduce emissions and enhance competitiveness 
A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy 
Agricultural Climate Solutions 
Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth and Resilience

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Oliver Anderson, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected], 613-462-4327; Media Relations: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]

Related Links

www.agr.gc.ca