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Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP)
Swan Lake Watershed District
Photo: Swan Lake Watershed District
Program Summary
The Swan Lake 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
Riparian Areas, Wetlands, Wildlife Habitat
Agriculture Type
Cropland, Rangeland / Pasture
Program Scope
Regional/Local
Conservation Approach
Beneficial Practices, Restoration
Incentive Type
Cost-sharing / Discounts, Payment for Practices / Conservation / Credits, Technical Advice
Delivery Agent Type
NGO
Commitment Type
Infrastructure Installation, Management Agreement, Restoration / Re-seeding / Conversion
Commitment Term
Short Term (1 to 10 years)
Program web site
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 Swan Lake Watershed.
Additional Details
Interested landowners can download applications from the Swan Lake Watershed District website: https://www.swanlakewatershed.ca/programs.html
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 (BMPs):
Cover Crops
Cover crops underseeded with the main crop (intercropping)
Full-season annual and/or perennial cover crops in rotation
Rotational Grazing
Fencing to support rotational grazing
Watering system to support rotational grazing
Improving pasture composition by seeding legumes
Agronomic support for completion of a rotational grazing plan
Nitrogen Management
Nitrification and/or Urease inhibitor
Polymer Coated Urea (PCU) fertilizer (or SuperU Dual Inhibitor)
Support for nitrogen management plans
Soil testing
Soil mapping
Adding legumes to crop rotation
Upgrading seeder equipment
Split Application of Fertilizer to improve Nitrogen use
Upgrading manure injection and incorporation equipment
Use of synthetic fertilizer substitutes (manure, compost, digestates)
Incentive
The Swan Lake Watershed District provides the following incentives for eligible BMPs. Each eligible practice has specific requirements and limitations, which can be found on the Swan Lake Watershed District web site.
Cover Crops
Cover crops underseeded with the main crop (intercropping): up to $35/acre (up to $75,000)
Full-season annual and/or perrenial cover crops in rotation: $35/acre (up to $75,000)
Rotational Grazing
Fencing to support rotational grazing: $18,000/qtr (up to 85%)
Watering system to support rotational grazing: $18,000/qtr (up to 85%)
Improving pasture composition by seeding legumes: $35/acre (up to 85%)
Agronomic support for completion of a rotational grazing plan: 50% of costs (up to $400)
Nitrogen Management
Nitrification and/or Urease inhibitor: 85% of inhibitor cost (Up to $7,500)
Polymer Coated Urea (PCU) fertilizer (or SuperU Dual Inhibitor): 85% of increased costs of PCU fertilizer compared to regular nitrogen (up to $7,500)
Support for nitrogen management plans: 50% of the cost (up to $5,000)
Soil testing: 85% of the cost (up to $2,500)
Soil mapping: 50% of the costs (up to $5,000)
Adding legumes to crop rotation: $35/acre (up to $5,600 or 160 acres)
Upgrading seeder equipment: $200/ft (up to $10,000)
Contact Information
For more information for the Swan Lake Watershed District's Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP), call 204-734-9550 or email manager@slwd.ca. Application forms and further information can be found here: https://www.swanlakewatershed.ca/programs.html
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.