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Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP)

Redboine Watershed District

Photo: Redboine Watershed District

Program Summary

The Redboine Watershed District delivers the Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP) which provides cost-sharing and per-acre payments for the implementation of Beneficial Management Practices under three categories:

Cover Cropping, Rotational Grazing, and Nitrogen Management.

Program characteristics

Province

Manitoba

Natural Features

Wildlife Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian Areas

Agriculture Type

Cropland, Rangeland / Pasture

Program Scope

Regional/Local

Conservation Approach

Restoration, Beneficial Practices

Incentive Type

Payment for Practices / Conservation / Credits, Cost-sharing / Discounts, Technical Advice

Delivery Agent Type

NGO

Commitment Type

Management Agreement, Infrastructure Installation, Restoration / Re-seeding / Conversion

Commitment Term

Short Term (1 to 10 years)

Conservation Goals

The PWCP program aims to accelerate the adoption of beneficial management practices (BMPs) that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing farm productivity, sustainability, and resilience.

Eligible Lands

Eligible landscapes include croplands, rangelands, or pasturelands in the Redboine region.

Additional Details

Interested landowners can download applications from the Redboine Watershed District website: https://www.redboine.ca/pwcp-applications

More detail on what each program entails can be found on the application forms.

Producers are eligible for a maximum of $75,000 of OFCAF funding, though all available OFCAF programs including PWCP.

Any project funded through PWCP cannot be funded by another OFCAF program.

Commitment

To receive Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP) funding, landowners must commit to any of the following Beneficial Management Practices:

Cover Cropping

  • Seeding cover crops

  • Agronomic support for seeding cover crops

Nitrogen Management

  • Upgrade equipment to allow for fertilizer banding, side dressing, and injection

  • Split fertilizer application to improve efficiency of use

  • Polymer-coated urea use

  • Nitrification and urease inhibitor use

  • Utilizing legumes in crop rotations

  • Upgrading manure injection and incorporation equipment (spreaders not eligible)

  • Incorporating manure into soil to reduce volatilization

Rotational Grazing

  • Cross fencing

  • Wildlife friendly fencing

  • Temporary fencing

  • Stationary water systems developments

  • Mobile water systems

  • Improving pasture composition

  • Agronomic support for completion of rotational grazing plan

Incentive

The Redboine Watershed District provides the following incentives for eligible BMPs. Each eligible practice has specific requirements and limitations, which can be found on the Redboine Watershed District website.


Rotational Grazing

  • Fencing and Watering Systems to Support Rotational Grazing - 85% of costs up to $18,000/quarter, (up to $75,000)

  • Improving Pasture Compositions by Seeding Legumes - up to $35/acre (up to $75,000)

  • Agronomic support for creation of Rotational Grazing Plan - 50% of cost of the plan (up to $400)

Nitrogen Management

  • Use of Combined Nitrification and Urease Inhibitors, or Dual Inhibitors - 85% of the cost of the inhibitors (up to $75,000) (Redboine has a cap of $10,000/year)

  • Use of Polymer Coated Urea - 85% of increased cost of PCU fertilizer compared to regular nitrogen fertilizer (up to $75,000) (Redboine has a cap of $10,000/year)

  • Agronomic Support for Nitrogen Management Plans - 50% of total cost (up to $10,000)

  • Soil Testing - 85% of total cost (up to $2,500)

  • Soil Mapping - 50% of total cost (up to $10,000)

  • Upgrading Manure Injection and Incorporation Equipment - case-by-case (up to $30,000)

  • Upgrading Seeder Equipment to allow for Banding, Side Dressing, or Injection of Fertilizer - $200/ft (up to $30,000)

  • Split Application of Fertilizer to Improve Nitrogen Use - 85% of implementation cost of the second pass (up to $75,000) (Redboine has a cap of $10,000/year)

  • Offsetting Higher Costs of Synthetic Fertilizer Substitutes (Manure, Compost, Digestates) - 85% of increased cost (up to $75,000) (Redboine has a cap of $10,000/year)

  • Adding Legumes to Crop Rotation - $35/acre (up to $75,000) (Redboine has a cap of $10,000/year)

Cover Cropping

  • Cover Crops underseeded with the main crop (intercropping) - $35/acre (up to $75,000)

  • Full-season annual and/or perennial cover crops in rotation - $35/acre (up to $75,000)

  • Agronomic Support for Seeding Cover Crop - 85% of total costs (up to $75,000)

Contact Information

For more information for the Redboine Watershed District’s Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP), call 204-526-2578 or email pwcp@redboine.com. Application forms and further information can be found here: https://www.redboine.ca/pwcp-applications

Important to Know

  • The Prairie Watershed Climate Program (PWCP) is funded through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. OFCAF is a $200 million, 3-year fund (from 2021 to 2024) which funds 12 programs (including PWCP).

  • The PWCP is led by the Manitoba Association of Watersheds (MAW) and delivered locally by Manitoba’s Watershed Districts and the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds (SAW).

  • Information can change from year to year – check the web site for the most accurate information.

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