Farm Credit Canada has launched a new sustainability initiative that will reward producers up to $2,000 per year for following Fertilizer Canada’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship program using AgExpert.
Announced Wednesday at the Western Canadian Crop Production Show in Saskatchewan, the program is aimed at encouraging producers to adopt 4R best management practices to help protect the environment “without compromising their competitiveness.”
Fertilizer Canada’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship is a framework of best management practices that follow the right source of fertilizer at the right rate, right time, and right place.
AgExpert is a farm management software solution that allows producers to centralize their information, increase efficiencies on the farm and get the most out of their data. In this case, streamlining the data management and verification process through AgExpert creates a simple way for producers to implement climate smart agricultural practices and create the best outcomes for their operations, FCC said in a release.
Incentive payments through the program will be calculated as a portion of farmer lending with FCC, up to the maximum of $2,000. Producers can reapply annually throughout the life of the program.
“This program brings together the innovation, science, and expertise growers can leverage to meet the growing demand for food produced in a profitable and sustainable way,” said Justine Hendricks, FCC president and CEO. “We see an opportunity to reward FCC customers who follow Fertilizer Canada’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program.”
To be eligible for the Sustainability Incentive Program an FCC customer with active lending must:
Have a 4R Nutrient Stewardship plan in place
During the crop year record production activities, such as fertilizer applications in AgExpert Field
Have 4R best management practices verified by a 4R designated agronomist within AgExpert Field by the end of the growing season.
Producers who are interested in the 4R Sustainability Incentive Program should connect with a 4R agronomist and prepare ahead of the program’s official opening in May 2024.
