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Dufferin County’s 2024 Experimental Acres open for applications

February 1, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

The County of Dufferin is inviting farmers to apply to the 2024 Experimental Acres Program by Friday, Feb. 23.

Through the Experimental Acres program, Dufferin farmers are provided with educational and financial support to de-risk new practices that improve yield, soil health, carbon sequestration and overall sustainability. 

“Dufferin County cares deeply about being a home for thriving agri-food businesses. The Experimental Acres Program is an opportunity for our municipality to offer a first step for farmers towards accessing larger funding opportunities and scaling up regenerative practices,” said Todd Taylor, Dufferin County Councillor and Chair of the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Committee.

The program is intended to champion farmer-led discovery with small-scale experimentation that can link to more considerable funding opportunities.   

“Dufferin County cares deeply about being a home for thriving agri-food businesses. The Experimental Acres Program is an opportunity for our municipality to offer a first step for farmers towards accessing larger funding opportunities and scaling up regenerative practices,” said Todd Taylor, Dufferin County Councillor and Chair of the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Committee.

Farmer-created projects will be supported through three Experimental Acres funding streams: 

Living Roots and Green Cover 

Maintaining soil cover helps reduce soil erosion from wind and precipitation. Example practices include cover cropping, intercropping and introducing new crops into the rotation. 

Innovation 

The innovation stream is for projects that can benefit soil health and do not fit into other categories. Example practices include tarping to reduce tillage intensity, winter crop rotation, and planting tall grass prairie. 

Integrating Animals on the Farm  

Integrating animals on the farm can have many benefits to soil health and promote carbon storage in cropland soil. Example practices include rotational grazing, silvopasture and bale grazing. 

This year, Experimental Acres will be delivered by Grey County Agricultural Services.

Those who successfully apply for the program can expect to receive prompt reimbursement of costs to de-risk their trial, conduct soil testing and result analysis, research support from staff and information about related events and programs.  

Dufferin farmers are encouraged to apply for funding online by Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, at tinyurl.com/2024-Experimental-Acres. 

“Through the Experimental Acres Program, we are learning together with the goal of advancing best-management practices that produce both food and the services of a climate-resilient ecosystem: greater biodiversity, more carbon-hungry soil, healthy watersheds, increased pollinator habitat and bioregion stability,” Sara MacRae, Dufferin County’s manager of climate and energy.

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