Federal government invests additional $8.7 million under Agricultural Clean Technology Program

Jul 19, 2022

On Monday, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau was in Winnipeg to announce 28 additional projects under the Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program.

This investment of more than $8.7 million will support the adoption of clean technologies across Canada.

“Recent droughts and flooding across Canada are another stark reminder that Canadian farmers are on the front lines of climate change. This new wave of innovative green projects announced today under our Agricultural Clean Technology Program demonstrates our intention to help farmers optimize the stewardship of the land, while increasing their productivity and profitability,” said Bibeau.

In Manitoba, more than $2.5 million will support five new projects.

Under the ACT Program, farmers and agri-businesses will have access to funding to help develop and adopt the latest clean technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost their long-term competitiveness.

This funding is focused on three priority areas: green energy and energy efficiency, precision agriculture; and bioeconomy solutions.

Through the recently expanded ACT Program, it is anticipated that current pollution levels will be reduced by up to 0.8 megaton as a result of fuel switching and decreased fuel consumption. This program is already helping hundreds of farmers with contributions of at least $50,000 to adopt clean technologies, including new grain dryers or barn heating systems.

Projects and final funding are subject to negotiation of a contribution agreement.

Program funding for the ACT – Adoption Stream is up to $100 million over five years with $50 million set aside for the purchase and installation of more efficient grain dryers for Canadian farmers, and up to $10 million over the next two years (2021–2023) is to be used toward powering farms with cleaner energy and moving off diesel fuel.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.