The Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC (IAF) is pleased to announce two new funding partnerships for Farmland Advantage (FLA). These two partnerships will result in a total of $8-million of funding over three years.
The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food has provided IAF with $5-million over three years to support the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices through FLA. This funding is a part of the Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program (RALP), a $250-million program that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially. RALP is funded under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a $3.5-billion, 5-year agreement between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. The goals of this investment are to increase the adoption of beneficial management practices that enhance ecosystem services, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase carbon sequestration.
Additionally, the Governments of Canada, through Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), and British Columbia, through the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, have provided IAF with $3-million over three years as a part of the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF). BCSRIF is a contribution program funded jointly by the federal and provincial governments. The Government of Canada is providing 70% of the funding, and the Province of British Columbia is providing 30%. This funding will support FLA’s ongoing restoration efforts in riparian areas on agricultural land.
“Farmland Advantage continues to grow, and we are pleased to welcome these new funding commitments from the Governments of BC and Canada,” says IAF Board of Director Chair Jack DeWit. “Farmland Advantage is doing important work on BC farms and ranches, and we are thankful to be able to collaborate with the BC and Canadian governments to expand the regions and sites we can support through the program.”
With this additional funding, the program will be able to further the adoption of beneficial management practices such as targeted grazing to control invasive plants, wetland restoration, riparian buffers to control erosion, and more. These regenerative agriculture practices promote cleaner watersheds, healthier wildlife and fish populations, protect important areas of biodiversity, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Farmland Advantage (FLA)
Farmland Advantage is an IAF program. Depending on funding level, those interested in contributing to the program can target specific geographic areas, choose a thematic area, or support beneficial management practices. Once the priorities are established, IAF engages local experts and industry partners to identify high priority ecosystems and the farms and agricultural operations located in these areas. These farmers are then invited to participate in the program.
For the 2023/24 Fiscal year, IAF gratefully acknowledges the financial support to the Farmland Advantage program from the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and by the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, and the Ministry of Forests.
For more information about Farmland Advantage, visit iafbc.ca/fla/
Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program (RALP)
For more information about the Resilient Agricultural Landscapes Program, visit the Sustainable CAP webpage here.
BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF)
For more information about the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund, visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s website.
