Nutrient & Waste Management BMPs
The Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) Program’s Nutrient & Waste Management category funds projects such as the composting of agricultural waste (0803) and the improvement of liquid manure storage – dairy only (0100).
To learn more about the BMP program, other BMP categories, program eligibility criteria, and/or notifications & obligations, please visit the BMP page.
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Category Details
| Activity Types | Cost-Share Ratio | Maximum Funding | Project Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrient & Waste Management Activity | 50% | Up tp $50,000 (except 0201 outlined below) | 140 days from Project Approval or by January 31, 2027, whichever is first. |
Application Open: February 18, 2026
Submission Open: March 11, 2026, at 9 am
Application Close: March 11, 2026, at 4 pm
A portion of BMP Program funding is provided by CleanBC and is reserved for Nutrient and Waste Management activities that demonstrate a significant and measurable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions or an increase in carbon sequestration. These eligible activities (or practice codes) are marked with a 🌱 symbol. If funding is limited, projects eligible for CleanBC funding may be prioritized over projects that are not.
For some activities, a plan, technical assessment or engineered design is required. You can independently attain the required plan/assessment/design or check for funding opportunities via BMP: Planning, Technical Assessments and Engineered Designs (P&D) category. The prerequisite must be completed prior to applying for the activity below. To learn more about the requirements for professionals to complete a plan/assessment/design and/or to find a qualified professional, visit our Qualified Professionals page.
Nutrient & Waste Management Activity Details
Purchase and installation of monitoring devices, such as piezometers or shallow observation wells to identify potential impacts of manure leaks and spills on surface or ground water.
Ineligible costs:
- Increased volume of storage facilities
- Improved features to prevent leaks and spills
The maximum funding amount for 0201 – Treatment systems for solid or liquid manure is $100,000.
Required documents:
- Nutrient Management Plan (BMP: P&D activity code 2401)
Eligible costs:
- Dewatering for liquid manure
- Sand recovery lanes
- Nutrient and/or bedding recovery systems for solid and liquid manure (ex. Bedding master, centrifuge, etc.)
- Pathogen and vector attraction reduction treatment systems which would permit solids to meet protocols identified in the BC Good Agricultural Practices Guide (for food safety)
- Nutrient recovery as a backend to a biogas system
- Nutrient upgrading equipment that is directly associated with the nutrient recovery system
- Interconnections that support nutrient recovery systems, e.g., piping, electrical, reception units
Ineligible costs:
- New solid or liquid manure storage facilities
- Modifications to existing facilities which would increase their capacity, including new or modified reception pits
- Nutrient recovery supporting infrastructure, e.g., concrete pads, roofs, buildings
- Composting of manure – this is covered under Nutrient & Waste project code 0803 – Composting of agricultural waste
- Non-manure wastewater treatment – this is covered under Nutrient & Waste project code 1701 – Recycling of wastewater streams
Specialized modifications to equipment for improved manure application to land.
Eligible costs:
- For solid manure spreaders:
- Cyclone spreading attachments.
- Other types of spreaders will be reviewed, on a case-by-case basis, to determine components that can be funded from the program
- For liquid manure spreaders:
- Low trajectory, sleigh foot, and band or injection spreading technology
- Addition of flowmeters and controls for liquid delivery systems.
Note: A producer may claim the value of the eligible modification component when purchasing an entire equipment unit. The cost of the eligible component must be visibly itemized and broken out on the invoice and be directly related to improving accuracy rate and placement of agricultural by-products. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Resources:
Improved fuel storage by providing a roof and containment for a single-walled tank, or replacement of a single-walled tank with a double-walled tank.
Eligible items:
- Concrete slab and bollards for a double-walled tank
- Fuel storage structures are to be designed to minimize water collection in the containment structure
Ineligible items:
- Roof and containment for a double-walled tank
Improved storage or handling for livestock mortalities. Incinerator must use best available technology and meet appropriate air emission standards.
Note: Application must meet conditions for the specific waste handling practices for the sector.
Improved storage or handling for culled fruit and vegetables, crop residue and wood waste. Heavy duty mulching mowers for dealing with pruning residue. Application must describe how the new equipment provides an improved or incremental benefit.
Note: Application must meet conditions for the specific waste handling practices for the sector.
Composting technologies that are appropriate for the composting of on-farm generated agricultural wastes including livestock mortalities, manure, fruit and vegetable culls, on-farm processing, crop residues, wood, and straw.
Note: If providing additional support for post-BHT secondary composting, additional items are covered:
- Construction of new, or expansion of existing composting structures.
- In high precipitation areas, composting structures must be covered.
Required documents:
- Product and Waste Management (BMP: P&D activity code 0804)
- Unless the facility is a preassembled package operation with manufacturer design and operation specifications.
Eligible costs:
- On-farm or portable chippers or forced air assistance burner.
- Note: Burners must meet the conditions and appropriate air emission standards of the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
- Rental of one-time use of chipper or air burner if wood residue management is completed annually.
Ineligible items:
- Contracted services for wood residue management
Restricted to Peace River Regional District, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, and Fraser Valley Regional District.
Eligible costs
- Pre-built or manufactured plastics compactors
- Materials and equipment to build compactor using pre-existing plans (see example of a compactor plan)
Ineligible costs:
- Equipment or materials not related to plastics compacting
- Projects taking place in an unspecified region
This could include wastewater streams from milk houses, fruit and vegetable washing facilities, and greenhouses to recover nutrients or reduce water use.
Reducing methane emissions from agricultural operations by preventing, suppressing or utilizing methane (CH4).
Required documents:
- Methane (CH4) Emission Reduction (BMP: P&D activity code 3102)
Eligible costs:
- Floating contact cover (whole sheet)
- Floating contact cover (aggregated sections – rainwater cannot be collected)
- Water collection system and pumps
- Sealed cover (tent-like structure or self-inflated dome or lid) for anaerobic reactors
- Floating contact cover (whole sheet) for liquid digester effluent storage
- Infrastructure related to pasteurization of applicable imported non-agricultural feedstock
- Methane utilization infrastructure such as biogas boilers, co- gen/micro turbine or biogas clean-up and upgrading equipment
- Heat exchange system to utilize heat radiated by methane utilization equipment
- Consultant work related to acquisition of discharge permit under the Environmental Management Act and BC Carbon Offset Verification and Validation
- Assessment, design and construction costs
Ineligible costs:
- Roof structures that do not ensure a sealed headspace above the manure or direct contact between the cover and the manure
- Storage structures for manure and other agricultural wastes
- Rainwater collection systems or pumps or parts of a larger system that are not directly associated with the manure storage cover
- Open flares
- Gas collection and conveyance systems or part of a system that is not directly associated with methane collection from the manure storage or anaerobic reactor tanks
A single year funding can be provided to assist producers wishing to utilize feed additives to reduce enteric fermentation.
Eligible costs:
- Microbial and/or by-pass protein
- Ionophores
- Dietary fats (may impact milk quality negatively)
- Rumen gut modifiers (i.e. 3-NOP)
Ineligible costs:
- Feed efficiency, digestibility or feed additive costs related to non-ruminant animals
- Any applications for funding after initial year
- Any feed additives not approved to manage enteric fermentation in ruminants by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Precision farming applications that reduce input application and overlap of fertilizer, pesticides or organic residuals (manure/compost)
Eligible costs:
- GPS guidance systems and installation
- On-line field mapping equipment
- Remote sensors, such as multispectral cameras and chlorophyll meters that are specific to nutrient management or monitoring
- On-line input application control systems guided by high- resolution electronic field maps and GPS
Ineligible items:
- Any precision farming applications in areas where field size and distribution, ditch layout and/or lay of land prevent significant utility from the use of GPS–guided equipment
- Annual subscription fees
- Equipment to mount remote sensors, such as unmanned aircraft systems (e.g. drones)
Projects could include specialized modification which improve the accuracy of rate and/or placement of fertilizer.
Eligible costs:
- Incremental costs of attachments
- Modification to existing application equipment
- Portion of the components of the new application equipment
Note: A producer may claim the value of the eligible modification component when purchasing an entire equipment unit. The cost of the eligible component must be visibly itemized and broken out on the invoice and be directly related to improved accuracy of rate and or placement of commercial fertilizer for the new applicator will be eligible. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Resources:
Specialized equipment or modification of existing equipment to deliver nutrients to crops as part of a liquid solution. Systems must improve the accuracy of rate and placement of fertilizer.
Eligible costs:
- Incremental costs of attachments
- Modification to existing application equipment
- A portion of the components of the new application equipment
Note: A producer may claim the value of the eligible modification component when purchasing an entire equipment unit. The cost of the eligible component must be visibly itemized and broken out on the invoice and be directly related to improved accuracy of rate and or placement of commercial fertilizer for the new applicator will be eligible. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Resources:
Equipment modification on seeding implements for reduced tillage seeding and post seeding implements for low disturbance placement of seed and fertilizer.
Eligible costs:
- Single disc openers (e.g. coulters), residue clearance devices and additional toolbars as required
- Openers for fertilizer placement on specialized planters and drills
- Cover crop crimper if part of a one-pass seeding operation
- Liquid or dry fertilizer placement systems for high residue conditions
Note: A producer may claim the value of the eligible modification component when purchasing an entire equipment unit. The cost of the eligible component must be visibly itemized and broken out on the invoice, or the eligible cost will be calculated at 50% of the value of the tool carrier. The application must also describe how the new equipment provides improved or incremental benefit.
Ineligible costs:
- Chaff collectors and chaff spreaders installed on combines
- Seed or fertilizer carts or tanks
This category is open to applications that address projects or situations identified in an EFP but not represented by any other BMP Categories.
Applications will be accepted on a proposal driven basis and will be reviewed by a technical expert and/or staff at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
Required documents:
- Applicable planning, engineering or technical design must accompany application.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Applicants
Applicants must have:
- A valid Environmental Farm Plan (EFP)
- Applicants applying for the Extreme Weather Preparedness category and associated plans and designs are not required to have an EFP.
- EFPs are valid if they are less than 5 years old and reflect the current farm or ranch operation.
- Please renew your EFP if it is more than 5 years old, or if there have been changes made to the farm/ranch that could have impact on environmental risk.
- Farm Status. Be a primary production agriculture business whose primary purpose is the production and sale of agricultural products and must be a BC registered business entity (including sole proprietor, partnership, corporations, cooperatives, Indigenous economic development corporations, and band-owned businesses).
- Premises ID, if livestock and/or poultry is raised.
- GST and CRA business number. Participants must be a taxable entity (e.g., individual, corporation, or trust), limited partnership, commune, cooperative with GST & business number, or First Nation Band.
- Main farmstead locatedin BC and file farm income tax (form T2042 or T1273) under the Income Tax Act in BC.
- Licensed Aquaculture producers, vertical farm producers, and Federally licensed Cannabis or Hemp producers are exempt from meeting farm tax income requirements, however:
- Aquaculture operations will have to provide their valid aquaculture license number.
- Vertical farm producers must provide documentation demonstrating their farm businesses have achieved the minimum Farm Class Status Equivalent annual gross revenues for the sale of ‘agricultural products’ in the year prior to their application.
- Cannabis or Hemp producers must provide proof of either their standard-cultivators, or industrial hemp license as issued by Health Canada under the Cannabis Act or Industrial Hemp Regulations. The personal production of medicinal cannabis is not eligible for this program.
- Licensed Aquaculture producers, vertical farm producers, and Federally licensed Cannabis or Hemp producers are exempt from meeting farm tax income requirements, however:
- Complete the prerequisite activity(s), if required.
- Some BMP activities require assessments, plans, or engineered designs that must be completed prior. Proof of completion must be submitted at the time of application.
- Concurrent planning/design projects and on-farm equipment/infrastructure projects may be allowed in some cases where projects are not dependent on the final plan or design for the equipment/infrastructure activity or may be waived at the discretion of IAF on a case-by-case basis.
- Some BMP activities require assessments, plans, or engineered designs that must be completed prior. Proof of completion must be submitted at the time of application.
Important Details
- Project activities should not commence prior to approval of the application; retroactive costs are not eligible.
- A per-farm lifetime funding cap of $100,000 has been established for the duration of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) period, which runs from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2028. This cap applies across all BMP categories unless otherwise specified.
- A portion of BMP Program funding is provided by CleanBC and is reserved for select activities that demonstrate a significant and measurable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions or an increase in carbon sequestration. These eligible activities (or practice codes) are marked with a 🌱symbol. If funding is limited, projects eligible for CleanBC funding may be prioritized over projects that are not.
- Applicants can only apply for each BMP activity (i.e., Practice Code) once per fiscal year. Example: Applicants may not apply to install a new irrigation system (Practice Code 1804) twice in one year.
- Stacking funds from other government programs is permitted so long as the funding received from all government sources does not exceed 100% of project costs.
- IAF has the authority to deny an application if there is evidence of misrepresentation of pertinent information.
- The program policy sets a percentage maximum amount of government funds that can be used towards the total project costs. For the Sustainable CAP, this has been set at 100% of the total eligible costs of the BMP Project.
- In-Kind costs are eligible in specific circumstances.
Ineligible Activities and Expenses
Unless specified in a BMP Practice Code, the following costs are ineligible:
- GST
- Fertilizer, seed, and crop protection products
- Fees are permits, approvals, or legal activities
- Typical farm equipment and related accessories or attachments (including tractors, skid steers, and trailers)
- Costs of ongoing activities
- Maintenance or repair costs
- Financing charges, loan interest payments, bank fees
- Maintenance or extended warranties on equipment, electronics, or technology purchases
- New building construction, including sheds, barns, or storage (for products or by-products), unless specified under a BMP activity.
- Expenses incurred before approval or expenses after the project completion date, unless consent is received from the program.
- Monthly or annual subscription fees (e.g., satellite, cellular, or internet uplinks for data transmission) or monthly or annual rental fees for equipment (e.g., orchard heaters)
- Costs associated with removing and disposing of old equipment (e.g., renting a crane to remove a decommissioned wind machine)
- In-kind costs for the Planning, Technical Assessments and Engineered Designs category or the Extreme Weather Preparedness category.
Applying to the Program
We encourage you to submit a completed application(s) as soon as possible. Applying is not a guarantee of funding.
Notification of application closure will be provided in the BMP Newsletter and posted to this webpage.
Applications will be reviewed and adjudicated on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds are fully committed.
Funding decisions will be provided within 8 weeks of a complete application submission.
Important Program Dates
Applications Open
Submissions Accepted
Applications Close
Project Start
Project Completion
Accessing the IAF Client Portal
To apply to the program, you must first create an IAF Client Portal account and register your organization by navigating to the IAF Client Portal and selecting “Create an account now.”
If you have previously applied to an IAF-delivered program you can skip this step – you’re already registered!
Sign Up & Register
To apply to the program, you must first create an IAF Client Portal account and register your organization by navigating to the IAF Client Portal and selecting “Create an account now.”
Starting your BMP Application
To find the application navigate to the ‘Opportunities‘ tab in the IAF Client Portal and select the BMP category you’d like to apply to.
Resources
Funding for these programs have been provided by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a $3.5 billion, 5-year agreement between the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Additional funding has been provided by CleanBC. The program is delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC (IAF).
Please note: the Government of BC may, from time to time, give instructions to IAF in relation to the delivery and administration of this program. IAF must and will comply with those instructions.