The Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) category Biodiversity provides funding for activities such as improved on-farm pesticide storage (0801.2), habitat structures and enhancements (2204), stackyard fencing (2209) and pest information collection and monitoring (1602).

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Category Details

Cost Shared Ratio: 50%
Maximum funding amount: Up to $25,000
Application Open: February 20, 2025 | Submission Open: March 13, 2025, at 9 AM | Application Close: March 20, 2025, at 4 PM
Project Length: 140 days from Project Approval
Activity Details:

Improving existing pesticide storage structures.

Eligible costs:

  • concrete, non-permeable floor, sill, or curb to contain spills
  • solid metal shelves to restrict the absorption of spilled pesticides
  • lighting

Ineligible costs:

  • Locks, vents, and signage (legally required)
  • Construction or purchase of a storage building or structure

Supporting the purchase, construction and installation of species-specific habitat structures and enhancements to natural habitat for wildlife and species at risk. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Bat houses and/or bat roosts
  • Specialized nest boxes for birds (e.g. barn owl, barn swallow, prothonotary warbler)
  • Winter bird roosts
  • Turtle sunning platforms
  • Snake hibernacula (overwintering sites)
  • Turtle nesting sites
  • Protective structures (i.e. cattle guards) to prevent nest relocation.

Eligible costs:

  • Flushing bars on haying/silage-cutting equipment to reduce wildlife mortality.

Ineligible costs:

  • Equipment or components directly related to cutting or harvesting of forage.

Eligible costs:

  • Pollinator strips or other perennial cover for pollinator habitat
  • Pollinator nesting sites to support pollinators and plant species at risk
  • Pollinator habitat for other biodiversity purposes in fields
  • Field margins of existing cropland (area planted with high value plants that pollinators like)

Required documents:

Ineligible costs:

  • On-going maintenance
  • Costs associated with acquiring/planting invasive plant species
  • Payments associated with opportunity costs for land taken out of production
  • Landscape quality or landscaping-type plantings
  • Commercial fruit trees, Christmas trees, ornamentals, afforestation, woodlot establishment and reforestation

Project must follow the BC Agricultural Fencing Handbook regulations for project design and implementation.

Eligible costs:

  • Stackyard fencing to protect harvested feeds, forage and silage stored by farmers and ranchers from wildlife
  • Permanent fencing inclusive of all costs, including in-kind labour
  • Portable electric fencing, set-ups, including solar battery chargers, battery and initial line and post purchases
  • Monitoring and management equipment

Ineligible costs:

  • Perimeter fencing
  • Pasture seeding and establishment costs
  • Pasture renovation
  • Repair and maintenance of existing riparian erosion control or riparian pasture management systems and equipment (e.g., can’t be used to repair existing fence)

Alteration to pesticide application equipment, including alteration of closed transfer systems for pesticides. Application must describe how the altered equipment provides an improved or incremental benefit.

Eligible costs:

  • Alterations to sprayers.
  • Alterations to non-sprayer type pest management equipment (i.e. flamer)
  • Alteration of closed transfer systems for pesticides

Ineligible costs:

  • Projects meant to control non-wildlife pest species that are commonly found on farms and ranches in BC

Purchase of new pesticide application equipment, including installation of closed transfer systems for pesticides. Application must describe how the new equipment provides an improved or incremental benefit.

Eligible costs:

  • New sprayers.
  • Purchase of alternative, non-sprayer type pest management equipment (i.e. flamer)
  • Installation of closed transfer systems for pesticides

Ineligible costs:

  • Projects meant to control non-wildlife pest species that are commonly found on farms and ranches in BC

Purchase of mowing equipment to reduce pesticide use. Application must describe how the new equipment provides an improved or incremental benefit.

Eligible costs:

  • Rotary or flail mowers, in row mowers and tillers that have side discharge or swinging arms that are designed to reduce pesticide use and target grass clipping management.

Ineligible costs:

  • Projects meant to control non-wildlife pest species that are commonly found on farms and ranches in BC

Eligible costs:

  • Equipment and materials such as prediction, trapping devices and sampling equipment

Ineligible costs:

  • Pest management practices common and well understood to the industry

The desired outcome of the shelterbelt or buffer establishment must be identified in the plan and reflected in the proposed design and species mix.

Eligible costs:

  • Tree materials only for planting around fields and buildings
  • Staking to support young trees from winter damage
  • Buffers can be single or multi-row
  • Maintenance for the year after the planting year can be included as part of the project proposal but is subject to the availability of funding in the following program year
  • Renovations or supplemental plantings

Required documents:

Ineligible costs:

  • Establishment of trees or shrubs that are intended for harvesting for economic benefit within 15 years, such as fruit orchards, Christmas trees, ornamental nursery stock
  • Block or plantation-style plantings
  • Buffer and shelterbelt renovation costs incurred after the establishment or the purchase and relocation of established trees
  • Landscape quality or landscaping-type plantings
  • Breaking and reseeding of existing native forages
  • Costs for planting cover or companion crops
  • Seed containing noxious or prohibited weeds as listed in The Weed Control Act

Eligible costs:

  • Precision farming applications that reduce the application and overlap of pesticides and/or improve the rate and placement of application (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, etc.)
  • GPS guidance systems and installation
  • Online field mapping equipment
  • Online 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
  • Pesticide inputs

This category is open to applications that address projects or situations identified in an EFP but not represented by any other Biodiversity Projects.

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 an EFP that is less than 5 years old and reflects the current farm or ranch operation.
    • The EFP must be renewed if it is more than 5 years old, or if there have been changes made to the farm or ranch operation that could have impacted the environmental risk.
    • For the 2025/26 fiscal year, a grace period of up to 6 months is in place for EFPs, if a renewal is unable to be completed for reasons beyond the applicant’s control. Please confirm with IAF if you are eligible for the EFP grace period.
  • The farm or ranch operation must be in British Columbia and have valid “Farm Class” land as designated by the BC Assessment Authority or be a First Nations agricultural operation with designated authority to use the land.
  • The applicant must have a valid business (GST) number.
  • Have completed the prerequisite activities required for activities applied for.
    • Some BMP activities require assessments, plans or engineered design that must completed prior.
    • Prerequisites must be completed and submitted before beginning a project.
    • 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 the Program Manager.

Additional Requirements & Notices

  • Projects activities should not commence prior to approval of the application, retroactive costs are not eligible.
  • For 2025/26 the BMP: Water Infrastructure category has a cap in place of $200,000.
    • NOTE: Beginning in 2025/26, a per-farm maximum funding amount has been established of $100,000. This means that in addition to the category caps listed below, a lifetime cap has been established for the remainder of the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership Initiative (April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2027), this cap does not apply to the Water Infrastructure category.
  • 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 of funds from other government programs is permitted so long as the funding received from all government sources does not exceed 100% of project costs.

Ineligible Activities and Expenses

Unless specified in a BMP Practice Code, the following costs are ineligible:

  • Fertilizer, seed, and crop protection products
  • Fees for 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 storages (for products or by-products)
  • Expenses incurred before approval or expenses after the project completion date unless consent is received from the program.

Applying to the Program

Accessing the IAF Client Portal

REMINDER: Do not wait to start this process – it can take up to two business days to validate your organization!

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.” Once you confirm you are a BC-based business/farm/individual you will then need to complete two sections:

This is the information needed for your account, all starred (*) information should be kept for ease of reference when completing your application

  • Name *
  • Job Title
  • Phone Number
  • Email

This is the information needed for your organization to be validated in the IAF Client Portal, all starred (*) information should be kept for ease of reference when completing your application

  • Legal Organization Name (either Federal or BC) *
  • Operating Name (if different from legal) *
  • Organization Type (select from a dropdown menu) *
  • Organization Address
  • Organization Email
  • Organization Phone
  • Organization Website
  • Organization Registration Date (either Federal or BC) *
  • Head Office Location
  • BC Registration ID (to look up your BC ID click here)
  • CRA Business Number *
  • NAICS Code 4-digit (select from a dropdown menu – click here for guide) *
  • Primary Purpose of Operation (select from a dropdown menu) *
  • Sector Group (select from a dropdown menu) *
  • Region (select from a dropdown menu)
  • Brief Organizational Profile

Items marked with a star (*) will need to be entered into your application, keep them on hand for ease of reference.

IAF Client Portal emails are sent from do-not-reply.grants@fluxx.io, please save this as a contact in your email.

It can take up to two business days to validate your organization. If you haven’t received an email in 3 – 5 business days check your spam folder.

Starting your Application

Applicants are invited to start (i.e. draft, edit & view) their application prior to the submission window opening. Applicants are encouraged to include only activities they are confident will be completed on time and within budget limits.

To find the application navigate to the ‘Funding Opportunities’ tab in the IAF Client Portal and select the appropriate program.

When filling out your application you will complete six sections:

This section is where you will answer relevant organization information questions, the starred (*) information you kept from Organization Registration will answer most questions.

  • Organization Name
  • Primary and Secondary Contact Information
  • Business Type
  • Farm Status
  • Premises ID (if applicable)
  • CRA Business Number
  • Organization Type
  • Sector Group
  • Primary Purpose
  • Organization Registration Date
  • NAICS Code (4 digits)
  • Updated NAICS Code (5 digits)

As this program is funded under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, you are required to provide additional demographic information. The demographic information is collected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and must be done before submitting your application. To provide your demographic information:

  • Start drafting your application in the IAF Client Portal.
  • Copy your application ID (it will be provided to you at the Demographic data section of the application, or see the top of your application form). You will need to put this ID into the Ministry’s form.
  • Visit the Ministry’s webpage through the link on the application and complete the form. (Note: this will open a new browser tab).
  • Once the form is complete, copy the Ministry’s confirmation number and enter it in the application form. It should look something like this AB123456

Note: Demographic information will not be used to assess eligibility for the program.

This section will require:

  • Your EFP Workbook Number
  • Your Planning Advisor’s Name
  • Name on EFP Statement of Completion

After, you will be asked for a project summary that will require information such as your farmland breakdown by hectares, a brief overview of the environmental issues this project will address, a description of your project, steps to complete your project, a list of materials and equipment needed, contractors you plan on using, and start & end dates of your project.

Break down your project costs into the applicable project codes. If your proposed project has multiple components that would fit under two or more practice codes please include a budget summary in your project documents that specifies what quoted costs reflect your selected project codes.

This section is where you will review and sign the terms and conditions for applying to an IAF Program which covers and defines the:

  • Binding Agreement
  • Services
  • Start Date and End Date
  • IAF Funding for Services
  • Third-Party Workers
  • Representations of Client
  • Release and Indemnity
  • Miscellaneous
  • Demographic Information Terms
  • Terms and Conditions

The following documents should be submitted with your application.

Mandatory

  • Property Assessment Notice (current year)
  • Legal Lease Agreement/ Proof of Ownership
  • Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) Statement of Completion
  • Quotes for the work to be completed

If Applicable

  • Supporting Lease Documentation
  • Proof of water license for proposed use
  • Water license for proposed storage volume
  • Water Management Plan and/or Irrigation system assessment and/or Technical design
  • Assessment/approval/authorization from the Dam Safety Program staff
  • Change approval to make changes in and about a stream
  • Easement
  • Maps/Sketch/Photos

IAF recommends clicking ‘Save’ frequently as you work on your application in case of an unexpected disconnection. Once you are finished editing click ‘Save and Close’ to minimize the editing panel and take you back to looking over your application.

New This Year! Book a Call

Starting on the Application Open date for each category, you can book a 10-minute phone consultation with an IAF staff member to discuss your BMP application.

Prior to booking an appointment, you must start your draft application and provide the ID number (BMP-202425-0####). This gives you and the IAF staff member a specific application to reference and provide support for during the 10-minute phone call.

Applicants are limited to one phone call appointment.

Review and Adjudication

All applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Project applications are screened and reviewed by IAF Staff. This review involves:

  • Ensuring application completeness
  • Organization/Applicant eligibility check
  • Project alignment and eligibility check

Applications will be considered until all available funding is committed. All decisions regarding application status are final. All applicants will receive a funding decision email from IAF.

Need help with IAF’s Client Portal?

We’ve created a number of tutorials and FAQs about the IAF Client Portal to help guide you in creating an account, registering your organization, starting your application, and more!

Want to speak to someone regarding your application?

Email us with your application questions or call us at 250.940.6150 to speak to a coordinator.

Notifications & Obligations

Review and Adjudication

Applications will be accepted on set open and close dates or until funding is fully committed. Upon submission of an application, all BMP applications will be reviewed under the first-come, first-serve model for 2025/26 intakes. Project applications are screened and reviewed by IAF. This review involves:

  • Ensuring application completeness.
  • Organization/Applicant eligibility check.
  • Project alignment and eligibility check.

IAF staff will return incomplete applications to applicants via the IAF Client Portal for resubmission with missing information/clarifications requested.

Funding Notifications & Contracts

IAF will contact the applicant with the details of a funding decision and any associated terms and conditions by email via the IAF Client Portal.

Funding decisions for complete applications will be communicated to applicants within 8 weeks of a complete application submission. If funding is fully committed, applications may be placed on a waitlist pending additional funding become available.

Funding is application and project specific. It must be used for the approved project and related expenses, and it is non-transferable.

Reporting Requirements

Successful applicants must complete a final report prior to receiving funds from the program. This report must be filled out and submitted via the IAF Client Portal with all invoices to be considered for funding reimbursement. It is important that the final report is submitted on time and with all required information. Expenses will be reimbursed based on the submitted receipts, the approved project budget and the corresponding cost-share ratio. All reporting will be completed via the IAF Client Portal.

Funding Acknowledgements

This program is funded by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. As such, acknowledgement of funding is required when publicly communicating about a project and/or funding. To ensure appropriate acknowledgement, all communications and marketing materials, including public announcements or social media posts, must be pre-approved by the IAF Communications Team. Materials can be submitted via the IAF Client Portal.

Changes to Contracted Projects

If you are not able to complete your project or require a change, please inform the IAF Team as soon as possible using the IAF Client Portal.

Apply to the BMP Biodiversity category

Application Open: February 20, 2025 | Submission Open: March 13, 2025, at 9 AM | Application Close: March 20, 2025, at 4 PM

Subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date on program news!

Resources

Beneficial Management Practices Program Guide

Download the Beneficial Management Practices Program Guide.

Biodiversity Appendix

Download the Beneficial Management Practices Program Biodiversity Appendix.

Need a Contractor?

IAF has assembled a list of verified contractors that are able to help execute your plan/design.

Land Owner Statement

Download the Land Owner Statement for the Beneficial Management Practices Program.

Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s Water Licenses and Approvals Guide

Visit the Ministry’s website for their water license and approval guide.

Funding Acknowledgement Requirements

Download the Funding Acknowledgement Requirements for the Beneficial Management Practices Program.

Have an Active Project?

Please visit the program’s Project Resource Hub for more information.

Have a Question?

Contact the IAF Team

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.

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).