Ministerial Initiative Plant Productivity – Stream 1 – Improving labor productivity in plant production
$50,000
Grant, Loan
Description:
Improve labor productivity in crop production by supporting the purchase of agricultural equipment that reduces the number of working hours in targeted crop production.
Comments on Funding:
Financial assistance consists of a non-repayable contribution in the form of a grant. The maximum rate of financial assistance corresponds to 45 % of eligible expenses for component 1 and 50 % of eligible expenses for component 2.
An increase in financial assistance of 15 % of eligible expenses may be granted if at least one of the following conditions is met:
The project concerns products that are subject to organic pre-certification or organic certification;
The project concerns a farming operation for the next generation of farmers;
The project concerns a CUMA;
The project concerns a farm located in a peripheral region.
The amounts paid under the first project submission period of the 2023-2025 initiative, in November and December 2023, are cumulative in calculating the maximum amount of financial assistance. The maximum amount per applicant for the duration of the initiative (including the bonus) is $ 50,000 .
Equipment, even if used by different farms, must be the subject of a single application for financial assistance under the initiative.
The peripheral regions are as follows: Abitibi-Témiscamingue–Northern Quebec, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord, Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Outaouais and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.
The central regions are as follows: Capitale-Nationale, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Estrie, Montreal-Laval-Lanaudière, Laurentides, Mauricie, Montérégie.
The budget envelope allocated to the initiative has been fully granted. The initiative ended on 31 January 2025. No new applications can be accepted.
Eligibility:
To be eligible, the applicant must meet:
A cooperative for the use of agricultural equipment (CUMA);
A farm where at least 50 % of gross agricultural income is income from targeted plant production.
In order to validate the eligibility of the agricultural operation , the information contained in its agricultural operation registration file at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) will be used. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure, before submitting an application for financial assistance, that this information is consistent with their current situation.
If not, the applicant must file financial statements for one of the last two complete financial years.
Eligible projects
To be eligible, the project must meet the following conditions:
Have eligible expenses of at least $5,000 at the time of filing;
Have been carried out and the subject of a claim no later than February 15, 2026;
Relate to a branch of activity made up of at least three agricultural holdings, in the case of a project submitted by a CUMA.
The project must aim to acquire agricultural equipment (with or without technological equipment) which meets all of the following criteria :
It concerns an agricultural task of production, harvesting or packaging carried out during the last 12 months by the agricultural holding in a targeted plant production;
It allows the farm to achieve an annual gain of at least 40 hours for the targeted agricultural task.
Application Steps:
To apply, you must:
Read the full text of the program to find out all the details.
Documentation Needed:
Needed documents to apply are in the guide, you have to read the guide.
Other Things to Note:
When the agricultural equipment is worth $ 2,500 or more, the recognized supplier must be located in Quebec. If the agricultural equipment worth $ 2,500 or more is not available in Quebec, the applicant must request an exemption in the financial assistance application form or in writing. This must be approved by the MAPAQ, prior to the purchase.
Consult the List of expenses – part 1
About the author
Maurice
