PAISLEY, ON — The Federal and Provincial governments are investing up to $5 million to make community grazing pastures in Ontario more productive and resilient. An initiative to support the Ontario government’s plan to protect Ontario, the funding will help strengthen Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector by helping cattle farmers improve the quality of shared community pasture lands for their herds so they can stay competitive and resilient in order to withstand economic uncertainty from the U.S.

“By investing in our community pastures, we’re supporting biodiversity, soil health, and resilient grazing systems— all key to a sustainable future for the sector,” said the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This will help strengthen Ontario’s cattle sector and the long-term health of our agricultural landscapes.”

The Community Pastures Initiative, funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), will provide funding to eligible community pastures so they can adopt best management practices and technologies that boost the quality of these lands for grazing animals, while at the same time enhancing biodiversity and strengthening soil health for the long-term.

“Ontario’s shared community pastures and grazing lands are essential resources in our agricultural landscape and play a vital role in building a stronger cattle and agri-food sector,” said Trevor Jones, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “This initiative will help farmers stay competitive and resilient in the face of economic uncertainty.”

This initiative will support up to 100 per cent of eligible costs for the design, construction and maintenance of projects such as:

  • rotational grazing
  • improving pasture quality by planting resilient perennial forage crops
  • permanent grasslands (including forage)
  • riparian buffers and pollinator habitats
  • management of at-risk natural features
  • tree buffers and shelterbelts
  • integrated tree, forage and livestock grazing systems
  • wetlands, water retention and runoff control

The Initiative will be administered by the Ontario Forage Council (OFC), working with the Association of Community Pastures to deliver the program and support the co-development of eligible projects. Funding amounts will vary based on project, with up to 100 per cent of eligible costs covered.

“The Ontario Forage Council and its Board of Directors are proud to deliver the Community Pastures Initiative as a part of the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program,” said Patricia Ellingwood, General Manager, Ontario Forage Council, Grey Highlands. “This initiative will provide us the opportunity to work side by side with community pastures to identify and implement beneficial management practices that will support the long-term resiliency of the lands and ensure Ontario’s community pastures remain viable contributors to Ontario’s agri-food sector.”

Don Hargrave is the Chairman, Ontario Association of Community Pastures, and says this is a tremendous opportunity. “The Association of Community Pastures is very appreciative of the financial and planning support to the eleven community pastures which cover 6,400 hectares of land across Ontario,” said Hargrave. “The best management practices supported by RALP provide a tremendous opportunity for each pasture to implement a diverse variety of projects to improve productivity through increased carrying capacity, rejuvenating land and improving livestock management. Our local community pasture boards are excited about this program and the fact that it will improve the long-term resilience of our community pastures.”

Craig McLaughlin President, Beef Farmers of Ontario was equally pleased with the initiative. “BFO would like to thank the Ontario government for this investment in Ontario’s network of community pastures,” said McLaughlin. “By enhancing the health of our shared grazing lands, we’re not only improving forage quality for our herds, but also strengthening biodiversity, protecting soil and water, and building resilience against climate challenges. This investment in Ontario’s community pastures is a vital step toward securing a more sustainable and productive future for our beef sector.”

More information, including how to apply, will be available through the Ontario Forage Council.