On Monday, Federal Ag Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced the Agricultural Clean Technology Program.

This $25 million, three-year investment will help the agricultural sector reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the development and adoption of clean technologies.

“This investment will help Canadian farmers stay on the cutting edge of clean technology by targeting developments in bioproducts and precision agriculture," said MacAulay. "Our government has made both agriculture and clean technology a priority for growth in our economy. This new program will contribute to Canada’s place as a world leader in agricultural clean technology, helping farmers to develop new and efficient uses of energy, while also protecting our environmental resources and mitigating climate change.”

Provinces and territories are eligible to apply for federal funding through this program, and are encouraged to work with industry on projects that focus on precision agriculture and/or bioproducts.

The Agricultural Clean Technology Program is part of the Government of Canada’s suite of clean technology programs and initiatives announced in Budget 2017. The program will launch on April 1, 2018, and a program guide will be available in the coming weeks.

In addition to the Agricultural Clean Technology Program, Natural Resources Canada will provide $155 million for clean technology research and development and demonstration projects.

This program will also complement AAFC’s $27 million Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program (AGGP), which supports research into greenhouse gas mitigation practices and technologies that can be adopted on the farm.