The East Central Farm Stewardship Collaborative is offering funding to farmers in East Central Ontario in 2026-2027.
Projects are eligible for 100% funding up to a maximum of $10,000 depending on the practice, helping farmers to cover the cost of materials and implementation. Six eligible categories focus on creating or enhancing natural features on marginal agricultural lands to cut greenhouse gas emissions, boost carbon sequestration, improve soil health, reduce nutrient losses and enhance ecological goods and services, like pollinator habitat and biodiversity.
To access funding, landowners must have an active farming operation on their land and complete their free Environmental Farm Plan through the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
Eligible projects include:
– Strip planting of perennial cover to create grassed water-ways or to manage salinity within a field (includes terraces and farmable berms)
– Convert marginal and high-risk annual cropland to permanent grassland (or perennial biomass crops; includes establishment of native or tame forages)
– Creation or widening of buffers (trees or shrubs) in agricultural fields adjacent to surface water sources, as well as other actions to protect existing riparian areas such as reshaping of edges and fields
– Establishment of pollinator strips or other perennial cover for pollinator habitat or other biodiversity purposes in fields or field margins of existing cropland
– Establishment of shelterbelts for farmyards, livestock facilities, and fields as well as intercropping with trees on annual cropland
– Planting of trees or shrubs on marginal or high-risk cropland
The East Central Marginal Lands Initiative is a costs hare program that focuses on creating or enhancing natural features on marginal agricultural lands to cut greenhouse gas emissions, boost carbon sequestration, improve soil health, reduce nutrient losses and enhance ecological goods and services, like pollinator habitat and biodiversity and other benefits to wildlife.
“Marginal Agricultural Land” means agricultural land in capability classes 4-7 in the Canada Land Inventory (CLI) rating system and agricultural land in close proximity to surface water or other existing natural features such as wetlands or grasslands
The East Central Farm Stewardship Collaborative has received funding from Conservation Ontario to deliver funding under their Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) Marginal Lands Initiative (MLI) throughout east central Ontario. In our region, we are calling the Program the East Central Marginal Lands Initiative.
The East Central Farm Stewardship Collaborative is a network of partner organizations including Conservation Authorities and agricultural organizations, government organizations and environmental NGOs supporting sustainability on farms in the east central region of Ontario.
Farmers can work with any member of the Collaborative that serves their specific location.
In addition to the funding listed below, member organizations of the Collaborative may be able to make additional financial contributions to a project.
Eligible Projects:
- Strip planting of perennial cover to create grassed waterways or to manage salinity within a field (include terraces and farmable berms)
- Up to 100% up to $5,000 per project
- Convert marginal and high-risk annual cropland to permanent grassland (or perennial biomass crops; includes establishment of native or tame forages)
- Up to 100% up to $5,000 per project
- Creation or widening of buffers (trees or shrubs) in agricultural fields adjacent to surface water sources, as well as other actions to protect existing riparian areas such as reshaping of edges and fields
- Up to 100% up to $10,000 per project
- Establishment of pollinator strips or other perennial cover for pollinator habitat or other biodiversity purposes in fields or field margins of existing cropland (area planted with high value plants that pollinators like)
- Up to 100% up to $5,000 per project
- Establishment of shelterbelts for farmyards, livestock facilities, and fields as well as intercropping with trees on annual cropland
- Up to 100% up to $10,000 per project
- Planting of trees or shrubs on marginal or high-risk cropland
- Up to 100% up to $10,000 per project
Applicants must:
– Own or rent marginal agricultural land
– Have completed or in-process Environmental Farm Plan 4th edition
– Have a Farm Business Registration Number
Please contact us if you have questions about any of these requirements
Next Steps – The East Central Marginal Lands Initiative | East Central Farm Stewardship Collaborative