The governments of Canada and Ontario announced on June 26 that they are investing up to $5 million to help make community grazing pastures in Ontario more productive and resilient. The funding will help strengthen Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector by helping cattle farmers improve the quality of shared community pasture lands for their herds.
“By investing in our community pastures, we’re supporting biodiversity, soil health, and resilient grazing systems— all key to a sustainable future for the sector,” said the Honourable Heath MacDonald, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
The Community Pastures Initiative, funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), will provide funding to eligible community pastures so they can adopt best management practices and technologies that boost the quality of these lands for grazing animals, while also enhancing biodiversity and strengthening soil health for the long-term.
“Ontario’s shared community pastures and grazing lands are essential resources in our agricultural landscape and play a vital role in building a stronger cattle and agri-food sector,” said Trevor Jones, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness.
This initiative will support up to 100 per cent of eligible costs for the design, construction and maintenance of projects such as:
- rotational grazing
- improving pasture quality by planting resilient perennial forage crops
- permanent grasslands (including forage)
- riparian buffers and pollinator habitats
- management of at-risk natural features
- tree buffers and shelterbelts
- integrated tree, forage and livestock grazing systems
- wetlands, water retention and runoff control
More information, including how to apply, will be available through the Ontario Forage Council.
