New Agricultural Climate Solutions – Living Labs, Partners and Projects

Recipient Organization

AAFC Funding

Location(s)

Project Focus

Alberta Beef Producers

$8.5M

Alberta

This living lab will explore the use of beef, forage and cropping systems to improve soil carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It will lead to the development of BMPs in six key areas including crop rotations and cropping systems, land use changes, grazing management, livestock feeding, nutrient management, and increasing carbon on the whole farm.

Alberta Conservation Association (ACA)

$7.7M

Alberta

A collaborative effort between the ACA and Food Water Wellness Foundation, this living lab will look to improve soil health, reduce costs of production, and sequester carbon in the soil using regenerative agriculture. The living lab will explore BMPs in cover cropping, intercropping, relay cropping, adaptive multi-paddock grazing, the use of perennials and animals in cropping systems, as well as feeding strategies to reduce methane production. The projects undertaken here will also amplify and support traditional ecological knowledge and efforts of First Nations in tackling agricultural climate solutions.

Peace Region Forage Seed Association

$6M

Northern Alberta and British Columbia

This living lab focuses on carbon sequestration, GHG mitigation and enhancing agroecosystem services in the Peace Region that straddles British Columbia and Alberta. The living lab will look at farms as a whole, including land management, economics and the social aspects of applying new BMPs.

B.C. Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF)

$6M

British Columbia (BC)

Co-led by IAF and BC Agriculture Council, this living lab aims to explore new, cutting-edge BMPs in six general areas to help farmers fight climate change. These include crop rotations and cropping systems, land use changes, grazing management, livestock feeding, nutrient management, and increasing carbon on the whole farm.

Mistawasis Nêhiyawak

$4.8M

Mistawasis Nêhiyawak and Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan

The Indigenous-led, Bridge to Land Water Sky project will see producers and First Nations work towards a common goal of improving the surrounding environment while committing to the protection of Indigenous values, treaties, communities, lands and resources. BMPs explored here will include crop diversification and cover, 4R nitrogen stewardship, pesticide management, and landscape diversification.

South of the Divide Conservation Action Program

$8M

Prairie eco-zone of Southern Saskatchewan

This living lab will focus on developing agricultural climate solutions for the Prairie ecoregions. Four key areas include avoiding land use conversion; adaptive grazing management; restoring and enhancing perennial plant communities; and livestock grazing of diverse annual cover crops.

Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture

$3.8M

Newfoundland and Labrador

This living lab will focus on cropping, fertilization, and soil conditioning strategies for combatting climate change on farms across the province. BMPs explored here will include diversifying forage and vegetable rotations using cover cropping, optimizing fertilizer rates, and adding composts and biochar to sandy soils.

Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick

$4.5M

New Brunswick

This living lab will look at the feasibility of adopting practices to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on farms. BMPs explored here include systems for advanced cropping, enhanced forage management, high performance pasture management, efficient nitrogen management, as well as landscape use.

Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture

$4.5M

Nova Scotia

Focusing on four BMPs important to this region, this living lab will explore the use of cover cropping in annual and perennial systems, establishing riparian zones and shelterbelts, and land swapping.