August Newsletter 2018

Lake Erie Agriculture Demonstrating Sustainability (LEADS)

Is your farm eligible?

Do you have a Farm Business Registration Number (FBRN)and Premises Identification (PID) Number?

Do you have an Environmental Farm Plan?

Do you have a Farmland Health Check-Up? (All Check-Ups completed in previous years are eligible)

Are you in the priority area?

Application Window – NOW TILL AUGUST 28th,2018

A farm business may submit up to three applications to LEADS for the 2018-2019 program year. Applications will continue to be accepted until the funds for the 2018-19 year are fully allocated. Eligible projects must be new to the farm business. A separate application must be submitted for each project. Projects submitted to LEADS cannot receive funding from any other CAP program.

How do I submit my application?

Applications for LEADS will be accepted on a continuous basis beginning April 3, 2018. Applications are submitted electronically*. You can apply and submit all required documentation at ontarioprograms.net. Emailed applications will not be accepted. *If you cannot apply online, you may send hard copy applications and all required documentation to OSCIA by post or courier to 1 Stone Road West, Guelph ON N1G 4Y2. Copies of the Application Forms are available at ontarioprogramguides.net.

When do projects start and finish?

The start date for your project is the date that OSCIA sends you an Approval Letter for the successful project. Projects cannot be started before this date. Eligible costs can only be incurred, invoiced and paid for by the applicant after the date on which the Approval Letter is sent. The project completion and claim submission deadline is December 1, 2018. Eligible costs must be incurred, invoiced and paid for by the applicant no later than this date.

Tillage and Nutrient Application Equipment Modifications

Projects will focus on supporting equipment modification for: no-till and strip-till; fertilizer and residue management; adjustment of new or existing equipment to reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss; or to increase soil health.

To apply you must

  • Have a verified complete 4th Edition or a peer-reviewed 3rd Edition EFP
  • Be located within the Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair watersheds
  • Have a completed Farmland Health Check-Up, working with a participating Certified Crop Advisor
  • Eligible activities and expenditures

    Fertilizer management options that work in high residue or no-till situations 

    • Liquid planter kits ( corn planters )
    • Y-Drops

     Tillage and planting improvements that works in high residue or no-till situations

  •  Strip-tillers, Row Cleaners, Hydraulic Down Force, No-Till planter parts 

Crop residue and soil health management improvements

  • Row Cleaners, Roller Crimpers

Cost-Share Percent: 45 Percent

Maximum available cost-share per project: $20,000

Ineligible activities and expenditures

  • All ineligible activities and expenditures as detailed on page 13
  • Reduced tillage equipment if previously used for any crops within rotation
  • Yield monitors
  • Annual services fees of any type
  • Upgrades to tractors, combines or spray equipment
  • Tires or tracks
  • Self-propelled equipment
  • Maintenance costs
  • Warranties for equipment or components used to modify equipment
  • Any tillage equipment that is not strip-till or no-till
  • Vertical tillage
  • Any equipment or equipment customizations that do not support an increase in soil health or a decrease in nutrient loss

Required documentation

  • Certificate of completion for a 3rd Edition EFP or letter of verification for a 4th Edition EFP

Application form available below 

All of this information plus more can be found at https://www.ontariosoilcrop.org/.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact Jake at 519-777-6447 or email jake@sheaag.com