Farm businesses that file farm business taxes in Ontario as demonstrated by:
• A valid farm business registration number (FBRN)For information on registering a farm business and/or a religious exemption, visit Overview (agricorp.com).
        OR
• A Religious Exemption Letter provided by the OMAFRA Appeal Tribunal (provide with application submission)
        OR
• A Cultural Exemption Letter provided by the Indian Agricultural Program of Ontario to First Nations farmers, verifying the farm business operates in a First Nations community (provide with application submission)
         OR
• An income exemption from the Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program (i.e., Start-up farm businesses, Business structure change, Not a normal production year, Age/Illness/Death of a spouse) (provided with application submission)
Applicants must:
• Have a verified, 4^th Edition Environmental Farm Plan, identifying the project as an action and effectively moving a “1” or “2” rating to a “3” or “4” rating; and,
• Be in compliance with all requirements of the law and must remain in compliance for the duration of the project.
For a project proposed in the Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair watersheds, where the applicant has completed a Farmland Health Check-Up working with a participating Certified Crop Advisor or Professional Agrologist and has identified one or more of the assessed fields as fair or poor rating, applicants may be eligible for an increased cost-share level to support accelerating regional efforts to reduce phosphorus from farming entering Lake Erie.

• Crop Nutrient Plan covering one full crop rotation cycle (five-year plan required) that must include:
• Soil sampling and analysis (including frequency of sampling, sampling plan, and soil test results that include organic matter, soil phosphorus, pH, etc.)
• Maps of fields, locations of any sensitive features requiring special management or setbacks
• Plan must outline, at a minimum, the following details, on a per field basis:
• Crop rotation
• Tillage practices for each crop
• Nutrients applied from all sources (timing, placement, rates)
• Crop removal and the nutrient balance for each crop, including credits from legumes and/or manure
• Fertilizer recommendations for each crop
• Management practices to reduce risk of nutrient loss
• Annual subscriptions to data management systems (limit of one subscription per eligible farm business)
• Plans developed using NMAN or other planning and decision support tools
• Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) / Nutrient Management Strategy
• Riparian Health Assessment (includes a detailed soil survey or identification of soil and topographic features)
• Soil Erosion Plan (includes a detailed soil survey or identification of soil and topographic features)
• Water Management Plan/Wastewater Management Plan
• Consulting services may include:
• Data collection, materials (e.g., soil probes), sampling or analysis (e.g., manure, plant tissue)
• Contingency Planning
• Engineering design services
• Maps and land resource information costs
• Planning and decision support tools (e.g., initial purchase of computer software, aerial photos)
• Support for planning for soil conservation practices and planning for implementation within the crop rotation
• Report preparation

• Computer hardware and software, with the exception of eligible software types noted above
• Consulting services for renewal of an existing plan (e.g., Nutrient Management Plan)
• Consulting services not directly related to one of the plans specified under Eligible activities and expenditures, including crop scouting, pest monitoring, and repeat services on the same crop acres or production area
• Costs associated with developing engineer reports for municipal drainage projects
• Field specific agronomic practices (e.g., variable rate application of crop inputs, seed selection, fertility requirements) for an annual cropping plan
• Global Positioning Systems (GPS) field mapping and soil sampling not part of a written plan
• Normal annual planning (i.e., plans covering a one-year planning horizon)
• Purchase and installation of irrigation monitoring equipment
• Routine sampling and analysis, routine crop advice, etc., to determine annual requirements for crop and animal nutrients or pest control
• Soil testing (i.e., soil sample analysis and soil physical property analysis) not part of a written plan or report
• Water source development, drilling and changes to water licensing agreements
• Yield monitors and other GPS-enabled data collection tools
• In kind labour and/or equipment
• Activities and expenditures as detailed in the section Other Ineligible Costs and Activities.

• 40% cost-share funding up to a maximum of $10,000 per application


• 50% cost-share funding up to a maximum of $15,000 per application for a project proposed in the Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair watersheds, where the applicant has completed a Farmland Health Check-Up working with a participating Certified Crop Advisor or Professional Agrologist. The project must address a fair or poor rating for a farmland health challenge

The Agricultural Stewardship Initiative is a merit-based program. Complete applications that meet eligibility criteria are assessed using Merit Assessment Criteria, which are specific to each Project Category. A merit-based application review process is used to allocate cost-share funds to projects.

The Merit Assessment Criteria for Nutrient Management and Soil Health Planning are:
• Project addresses risk identified in EFP Action Plan
• Ability of project to facilitate multi-year planning to improve resource management activities
• For applicants who propose a project in the Lake Erie or Lake St. Clair watersheds and provide a completed Farmland Health Check-Up, the application will be assessed to confirm if the project addresses a fair or poor rating for a farmland health challenge

Applications are evaluated based only on the information submitted and will not be considered if they do not meet the eligibility criteria or if they are incomplete.

Be sure to carefully review the Agricultural Stewardship Initiative program details in entirety. Before you can apply, you will need to visit osciaportal.org and create a user account. Once you have created a user account, if the intake is open, you will be able to enrol and submit an application.

You must include all of the information listed under Documentation Required With the Application with your application submission. If documentation is not received with the submission, the application may be considered incomplete and will not be assessed.

• Certificate of completion for a 4th Edition Environmental Farm Plan
• Documentation to support an eligible farm business (only if an FBRN has not been provided)
• If requesting the increased cost-share level, a copy of an eligible, complete Farmland Health Check-Up must have been submitted by the participating Certified Crop Advisor or Professional Agrologist

Applications are only accepted during the application intake dates noted above.

The Enrolment and Application Form, and all required documentation can be submitted electronically through the OSCIA Portal:

If the intake is not currently accepting applications, you may still visit osciaportal.org to create a user account and be ready for upcoming opportunities.

• The eligible start date for your project is the date specified on the approval or partial approval letter issued by OSCIA for each successful application. Projects cannot be started before that date. Eligible costs can only be incurred, invoiced, and/or paid by the applicant on or after the date specified on the approval or partial approval letter.
• Deposits that are fully refundable, made by the applicant before the eligible start date to secure goods or services needed to complete the project, with the balance payable after the eligible project start date, may be eligible. The claimed invoice must be dated within the eligible timelines indicated in the approval or partial approval letter and must not indicate the deposit as non-refundable. If the invoice does not clearly indicate the payment as a deposit, or if the deposit is non-refundable, the amount is ineligible for cost-share. Any deposit or payment made prior to April 1, 2023, is not eligible under the Sustainable CAP program.
• OSCIA issues payments after projects have been completed and required claim documentation is received. The project must be paid for in full by the applicant prior to cost-share being issued.
• All invoices for the approved project must comply with the eligible invoice dates as outlined in a letter of approval issued by OSCIA for the proposed project. OSCIA cannot issue cost-share payments for incomplete or partially complete projects.
• Applicants are responsible for securing all necessary approvals and permits for the proposed project before starting and complying with all applicable municipal bylaws and provincial or federal regulations. OSCIA may require copies of permits obtained for some projects before issuing cost-share payments.
• OSCIA reserves the right to require additional documentation and ultimately accept or reject submitted project invoices and proof of payment for cost-share consideration.
• Stacking of Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) cost-share funding from one or more business and/or one or more sources of Sustainable CAP funding, towards the same project is not permitted. Stacking with other programs outside of Sustainable CAP up to 100% of the project cost, is permitted if the other program allows stacking and at least 15% of the project costs come from non-government sources. All funding for a project from additional off-farm sources, excluding financing, must be listed on the claim form for an approved project.
• A cost-share allocation is based on the eligible project costs outlined on the approved Application Form. Accurate estimates to the best of the applicant’s ability must be reflected in the total project cost submitted on the Application Form. Quotes are strongly encouraged to support all proposed project costs. If final project costs exceed the original estimate or the scope of the project changes, there is no obligation by OSCIA to extend cost-share beyond the original allocation and/or project scope.
• All goods and services must be purchased from an entity that is at arm’s length from the farm business. An entity is considered arm’s length if they are not related, not affiliated persons or otherwise controlled by another member or members. Parent/child and siblings, through blood or marriage, or businesses owned by the same individual(s) are not considered arm’s length. Refer to Section 251 of the Income Tax Act (Canada) for the additional detail on determining arm’s length relationships.
• Projects that have received cost-share funding are routinely inspected. The decision to inspect may be based on project type, project value, or any other criteria selected by OSCIA. Projects may also be inspected randomly. Inspections are carried out before the claim is paid. Biosecurity protocols are followed by all representatives of OSCIA.
• Information presented is the best available at the current time. In the event of a conflict between anything set out in this program guide and/or any other program material and the Minister’s Order, the Minister’s Order will prevail. Errors and Omissions Excepted. Check with OSCIA for applicable updates. Material is subject to change without notice as the cost-share program evolves.

• Projects that have the sole purpose of coming into or maintaining compliance with Requirements of the Law that pertain to current business operations
• Any capital item that is funded by government sources at 75 per cent or more
• Any cost not set out as an Eligible Activity and Cost and not specifically required for the execution of a project
• Normal operating costs associated with conducting or expanding a business’s current operations, including annual service fees of any type
• Any cost that is eligible for a rebate, credit, or refund (e.g., a refundable portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax)
• Gifts and incentives
• Costs of travel, hospitality, meals, and/or accommodations
• Permits and approvals
• Purchase, lease, construction or sale of land, buildings or facilities, and associated taxes or fees (e.g., land transfer tax)
• Extended warranties, taxes, legal fees, financing charges, loan interest payments, bank fees
• Materials or products produced by the applicant’s farm business
• Invoices not issued in the applicant’s name
• Materials or services purchased outside of the eligible invoice dates indicated in the application approval letter
• Any cost purchased from a supplier who is not at arm’s length from the applicant (i.e., businesses owned by the same individual(s), or by siblings or parents, through blood or marriage)

• Any costs from the application that were deemed ineligible
• Eligible invoice dates and project completion and claim submission deadlines
• Information required with the claim submission
• Links to the necessary documents (e.g., Claim Form, Electronic Funds Transfer Form, Claim Questionnaire, etc.)
• Information on how to submit the claim

• Copy of front and back of cancelled cheque
• Cash register receipt showing itemized purchase and payment received.
• Electronic image of processed cheque
• Statement from banking institution indicating to whom the processed cheque was written, or electronic payment made, and for what amount.
• Third-party confirmation (e.g., email confirmation) of an e-transfer/electronic payment that shows who paid, who was paid, how much was paid and the date the payment the transfer was successfully completed.
• Credit card or debit card receipt clearly identifying amount and to whom the payment was made. Credit card or debit card numbers and other information, including costs that are unrelated to the project, should be blacked out.

Cash payments for project costs are strongly discouraged, as they may not meet requirements for proof of payment. If proof of payment by the applicant is not provided, OSCIA cannot support the cost.

OSCIA may request any additional information from the applicant that OSCIA deems necessary (e.g., copies of any audit reports, plans or permits obtained by the applicant in conducting the project) to support their claim.

Cost-share payments are made by electronic funds transfer (EFT) in the name of the legal business. All cost-share funding is considered income to the business for tax purposes. OSCIA will issue a tax form (AGR-1) and report the amount paid to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA); this is why an applicant’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) is collected if the applicant does not have a CRA Business Number. Only one claim can be submitted per project per program year, and only one payment will be made per claim.

If you have any questions about project timelines, claim submission dates, or submitting a multi-year application, contact OSCIA at:
s-cap@ontariosoilcrop.org.