The busy spring season is upon us – both for producers and for the CFGA team.

Organization has begun with the Ontario Forage Council for the 2024 annual conference in Guelph, Ontario, Dec. 3 to 7. Bringing the forage industry together, the annual conference is a great opportunity to showcase the forage sector in Ontario and across Canada. This year's theme is Roots to Success: The foundation of resilient agriculture and we are developing a jam-packed agenda to share the latest in production practices, research, policy and marketing. Be sure to save the date and keep watching the CFGA website, Facebook and Twitter platforms and future newsletters for information on this exciting event as it becomes available.

With the closing of the intake period for the 2024 On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) project, we are busy reviewing the many applications that came in. Producers submitted 348 applications with a total project request amount of $11.1-million. There is very strong demand for the $3-million in available cost-share funds that the CFGA has available to allocate through the OFCAF program. Approximately half of those funds were allocated with the first intake in early March and the remainder will be allocated with the second intake in April.

This month we also launched an updated version of our popular Advanced Grazing Systems (AGS) online course. Since the spring of 2022, the CFGA has supported over 4,480 producers who have gone through the program either online or in person. Over 1,800 people have attended workshops and the CFGA’s online learning management system has had close to 500 individuals finish the AGS course. You can learn more about the new course in this newsletter.

Before I sign off, I want to invite everyone to attend the CFGA’s virtual Annual General Meeting on May 15. This is a great opportunity to meet the CFGA board of directors, staff and contractors as well as learn about all of our projects. Register here.

Be safe as you head back to the field for the spring and summer seasons and, as always, if you have questions or comments, don’t hesitate to reach out to me to discuss.

- Cedric MacLeod

News from Dairy Farmers of Canada

DFC and Starbucks Canada join together to support a sustainable future for dairy



Farm Credit Canada's Dairy Sustainability Incentive Program returns with support from Dairy Farmers of Canada and Starbucks to reward the sustainability successes of farmers

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) and Starbucks Canada (Starbucks) have launched a new collaborative effort to help advance sustainability in the dairy sector. Starbucks has committed $500,000 to support dairy sustainability-focused projects over the course of this year, rewarding the continued efforts of Canadian dairy farmers on their path to net zero.  

The partnership includes three exciting projects, the first of which is already underway for 2024 in collaboration with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and Lactanet for FCC’s Dairy Sustainability Incentive Program. This program rewards farmers who are successfully adopting environmental best management practices and encourages continued sustainable farming by granting annual incentives of up to $2,000 to FCC customers who meet select criteria.

As part of its partnership with DFC and overall investment for the year, Starbucks will provide additional funding to the FCC program in two new categories, Top Achieving and Most Improved, further recognizing the sustainability successes of Canadian dairy farmers.

Dairy is an integral part of the Starbucks menu and supporting the long-term health of the Canadian dairy sector is one of the latest efforts in the company’s global commitment to a resource-positive future – giving more than it takes from the planet by reducing the company’s carbon emissions, water usage and landfill waste by 50 per cent by 2030. This collaboration with DFC builds on both organizations’ strong record of supporting sustainability, as Canadian milk production continues to have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world.

Farmer applications are scheduled to reopen for the Sustainability Incentive Program on May 21, 2024. For more information, please visit fcc.ca/sustainabilityprograms.

Nouvelles des Producteurs laitiers du Canada

Les PLC et Starbucks Canada s'associent pour soutenir un avenir durable en production laitière 

Le Programme d’incitatifs aux pratiques durables en production laitière de Financement agricole Canada est de nouveau offert avec le soutien des Producteurs laitiers du Canada et de Starbucks pour récompenser les producteurs des progrès accomplis en matière de durabilité

Les Producteurs laitiers du Canada (PLC) et Starbucks Canada (Starbucks) ont uni leurs efforts pour mettre en œuvre une nouvelle initiative permettant de soutenir la poursuite des progrès en matière de durabilité en production laitière. Starbucks s'est engagé à verser 500 000 $ pour appuyer des projets axés sur la durabilité en production laitière au cours de l'année, récompensant ainsi les efforts continus des producteurs laitiers canadiens dans leur démarche pour atteindre la carboneutralité.

Le partenariat comprend trois projets passionnants, dont le premier est déjà en cours pour 2024 en collaboration avec Financement agricole Canada (FAC) et Lactanet pour le Programme d'incitatifs aux pratiques durables en production laitière de FAC. Ce programme récompense les producteurs qui adoptent avec succès les pratiques de gestion bénéfiques sur le plan environnemental et favorise le maintien d'une production agricole durable en accordant des incitatifs annuels pouvant aller jusqu'à 2 000 $ aux clients de FAC qui répondent à certains critères.

Dans le cadre de son partenariat avec les PLC et de son investissement global pour l'année, Starbucks fournira des fonds supplémentaires au programme de FAC dans deux nouvelles catégories, « Les producteurs les plus performants » et « Les producteurs s’étant les plus améliorés », reconnaissant ainsi davantage les réussites des producteurs laitiers canadiens en matière de durabilité.

Les produits laitiers font partie intégrante du menu de Starbucks, et maintenir en santé le secteur laitier canadien à long terme constitue l'un des plus récents efforts déployés par l'entreprise dans le cadre de son engagement global en faveur d'un avenir respectueux des ressources - donner plus qu'elle ne prend à la planète en réduisant de 50 % son empreinte carbone, sa consommation d'eau et sa production de déchets d'ici 2030. Cette collaboration avec les PLC s'appuie sur les solides antécédents des deux organisations en matière de soutien à la durabilité, la production laitière canadienne continuant d'avoir l'une des empreintes carbone les plus faibles au monde.

Les producteurs laitiers pourront soumettre une demande au Programme d'incitatifs aux pratiques durables le 21 mai 2024, date prévue de sa remise en vigueur. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter le site : www.fcc-fac.ca/fr/financement/agriculture/programme-pratiques-durables..