Agricultural Flexibilty Fund

Government of Canada calling for Agricultural Flexibilty Fund proposals

The federal government is currently seeking and evaluating industry proposals for projects it will fund out of the new Agricultural Flexibility Fund (AgriFlex).  AgriFlex was announced in the 2009 Federal Budget and will provide $500 million over a five-year period between now and March 31, 2014. 

The fund was created in response to requests for government to increase investment in non-business risk management (BRM) programming.  This support is intended to improve long-term competitiveness and assist with adaptation within the agriculture sector. 

In order to achieve these goals, the federal government has designed AgriFlex around three key elements:

• Investments to help reduce the cost of production or improve environmental sustainability for the sector;
• Investments in value-chain innovation or sectoral adaptation; and,
• Investments to address emerging opportunities and challenges for the sector.

AgriFlex is also designed to encourage collaboration between government and industry.  The fund can undertake projects that will be either one-time investments for a specific purpose, or multi-year initiatives.  Projects may be funded solely at the federal level, through partnerships with the provinces and territories, or together with industry. 

Applications for funding are currently being accepted through a proposal process, and proposals may be submitted at any time until all funding has been committed.  To streamline the process and assist in determining project eligibility, the federal government is accepting letters of intent, which can be submitted prior to completing a full proposal.

The fund can accommodate a wide range of eligible recipients, which may include: individuals, partnerships, universities, colleges, cooperatives, marketing boards, governments and their institutions, agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations and for-profit companies.  Any of these eligible recipients, with the exception of individuals, may in turn provide funding to other eligible recipients.

While funding for individual proposals will be considered on a case-by-case basis, the federal government has indicated they will give preference to proposals which demonstrate a collaborative approach, promote private-sector involvement and investment, and improve overall competitiveness.

AgriFlex represents a means for Saskatchewan producer groups to pursue new ideas or address issues important to the province's agriculture industry. Interested parties are encouraged to learn more about the program.

For more information
Call 1-877-290-2188;
E-mail AgriFlex@agr.gc.ca; or
Visit http://www.agr.gc.ca/