Agriculture Awareness Initiative Program (AAIP)

Who can apply

Saskatchewan-based organizations and individuals are eligible. Individual applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

This may include, but is not limited to:

1. Students and teachers
2. Commodity organizations
3. Agri-businesses
4. Researchers
5. Agricultural producers or groups
6. Urban organizations
7. Public institutions or agencies
8. Indigenous communities or individuals
9. Volunteer organizations
10. Other individuals or organizations wanting to tell the story of agriculture, in partnership with people in the industry

If an applicant is involved with livestock operations, they must have a Saskatchewan Premises Identification (PID) number.

Persons related to an eligible applicant will be subject to the program’s maximum funding cap for that eligible applicant. Related applicants include:

1. The maximum amount that may be paid to an eligible applicant, including persons related to an eligible applicant, may not exceed the maximum funding cap per applicant/related entity over the life of the program.
2. “Related applicants” include but are not limited to spouses, business partners, relatives living in the same residence, individuals/entities which have controlling interests in more than one operation and operations that are not legally, financially or operationally sufficiently independent of other entities.
3. In determining whether a person/entity is a related applicant, the ministry may consider the following factors:

• whether the person/entity is engaged in a common enterprise with the applicant as a corporate affiliate or subsidiary, partner, member of a joint venture, trustee of a trust or estate in which the eligible applicant has a substantial beneficial interest or any other relationship which evidences an intention to share the profits or risk of loss of the operation with the eligible applicant;
• whether the person/entity makes operational decisions in respect of the operation or makes those decisions jointly or in common with the eligible applicant;
• whether the person is responsible to ensure that day-to-day operations are completed respecting the operation;
• whether the person/entity and the applicant have access to common assets such as land, machinery, processing equipment, crop storage or animal handling facilities used in the operation;
• whether the person/entity files separate income and expense statements for income tax purposes;
• whether the person/entity maintains separate farm or business accounting records;
• whether the person maintains a separate bank, credit union or trust company account;
• whether the person has a separate Goods and Services Tax number;
• whether the person/entity has any other financial interest in the operation; and
• any other matter that the ministry believes is relevant to the legal, financial or operational independence of the operation.

Before applying, interested applicants must consult with a Public Trust Specialist.

Collaboration between organizations is encouraged.

Note: Applicants must disclose any real or perceived conflict of interest in proposed projects.

Eligible projects include:

1. Education and training to engage producers in awareness efforts; or
2. Development and delivery of tools, resources, programming and communications materials to enhance consumer and youth understanding of, and trust in, modern agriculture.

All initiatives must offer a public benefit.

Not eligible:

Note: Any organization receiving core funding from the ministry is not eligible to apply to AAIP. National organizations are not eligible to apply

Funding will not be provided for projects that advance private or corporate interests

For example, marketing campaigns to increase the sales of a proprietary product are not eligible