Canola 4R Advantage

Canola 4R Advantage offers incentives to help growers initiate or advance 4R Nutrient Stewardship on canola acres. Expanding the use of 4R Nutrient Stewardship is an important opportunity to improve fertilizer efficiency, which is good for both farm productivity and our environment. Funding for Canola 4R Advantage is provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF).

Year two application intake is now closed. Thanks to interest in Canola 4R Advantage, applications submitted have exceeded the funding available for year two of the program and the program is fully subscribed.

Year two will mark the completion of the CCC’s role as a delivery partner under OFCAF. While the CCC will no longer be delivering OFCAF financial incentives to growers after the year two program (which covers eligible costs incurred and paid between April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024), 4R Nutrient Stewardship remains a long-standing and ongoing commitment for the organization with a focus on research and innovation, as well as knowledge and technology transfer activities. Going forward, we encourage growers to investigate incentive opportunities through other OFCAF recipient organizations. To find out which OFCAF recipient organization best suits your nitrogen management needs in your region, please use the OFCAF recipient organization filterable tool.

Important dates

Year two application key dates

• Year two applications are for expenses invoiced to and paid by growers from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
• Agreements for approved applications must be signed by January 31, 2024.
• Claims must be submitted by April 30, 2024, along with copies of invoices and proof of payment.
• Final attestations that canola has been planted to the claimed fields are due by June 30, 2024.

BMPs funded

Growers can apply for funding to help pay for best management practices (BMPs) focused on nitrogen management. Up to 85 per cent of eligible costs can be reimbursed – up to a maximum of $75,000 from all OFCAF programs over the two-year OFCAF program lifetime.

1. Soil testing*

Soil sampling and lab analysis to help growers optimize nutrient applications based on soil needs and yield potential

2. Field zone mapping*

Consulting services to help growers pinpoint areas where applying more or less nitrogen can provide the best returns, based on past management practices, yield potential, terrain and a host of other factors

*If eligible costs for the soil testing and field zone mapping BMPs are billed as bundled services, you will be asked to allocate a fair market value portion of the bundled cost to each applicable BMP (excluding any portions for ineligible costs). We will simplify this process as much as possible with the claims section of our new digital portal.

3. Enhanced efficiency fertilizer (EEF)

Products designed to release nitrogen over a longer period of time so more nutrients can be taken up by plants, and less nitrogen is lost to the atmosphere

4. Preferred application

Methods that band nitrogen into soil near seeding time or apply nutrients while canola crops are growing

NOTE: The preferred application BMP is paused until 2024 when seasonal price differentials for nitrogen fertilizer can be determined.  

Learn more about BMP eligibility.

NEW: Funding to develop 4R plans

In year two of Canola 4R Advantage, growers can be reimbursed up to 85 per cent of the consulting fees paid for a 4R designated agronomist to develop a grower’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship Plan, for the purposes of this project, up to a maximum of $5,000.

A 4R plan is one of the requirements when applying for funding. To be eligible, your plan must be developed and verified by a Certified Crop Adviser or Professional Agrologist who has earned the 4R Nutrient Stewardship designation from Fertilizer Canada.

To find a qualified CCA or P.Ag. in your area, visit the Fertilizer Canada website for a listing of 4R designated agri-retailers.

Learn more about this new funding opportunity in the Program Guidelines.

Why choose 4R Nutrient Stewardship?

4R practices help grow the value of canola – for farmers, and for our planet.

The canola industry’s goal is to see 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices on 90 per cent of canola acres. It’s one of the key sustainability targets of our industry strategic plan.

Learn more about 4R Nutrient Stewardship.

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Funding for Canola 4R Advantage has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF).