Grow the Herd Pilot Program

Who is eligible?

• Mi’kmaq First Nations and other Indigenous groups involved in beef production
• Agricultural producers engaged in beef production
• Feedlot operators supplying cattle to Atlantic Beef Products under the Certified Island Beef brand
• Backgrounders raising cattle destined for Certified Island Beef feedlots
• Dairy/beef producers marketing or retaining animals for Certified Island Beef feedlots

Who is not eligible

• Businesses that are not involved in beef production (the program is clearly targeted to beef producers, including cow–calf and feedlot operations, and incentives are tied to beef cattle and the Certified Island Beef brand).
• Operations that do not have a valid Premise Identification Number, as this is explicitly required for all recipients.
• Producers wishing to fund the purchase of bulls, feeders, calves, open heifers, open cows, or commercial or registered dairy cattle, since these animal categories are listed as ineligible expenses.

Eligible expenses

• Possession or purchase of bred heifers, bred cows or cow–calf pairs above and beyond the usual 5% replacement rate, with veterinary confirmation of pregnancy or presence of calf.
• Activities and costs directly related to the marketing and promotion of the Certified Island Beef (CIB) brand.
• Certified Island Beef Marketing Supplement: support per head for animals marketed to a CIB-approved feedlot or retained for finishing in a CIB feedlot.
• Certified Island Beef Grade Supplement: per-head support for cattle supplied to Atlantic Beef Products that meet Certified Island Beef carcass and grading requirements.

Eligible geographic areas

• Businesses operating in Prince Edward Island, Canada.

• Projects are assessed on a first-come, first-served basis for their merit and impact.
• Projects must demonstrate that they can be completed within the timeframe outlined in the funding agreement.
• Projects are subject to available annual funding and may be funded below the maximum contribution rate after assessment.

• Step 1: Review program guidelines
  • Read the Grow the Herd Pilot Program Guidelines in full to understand the two components: Heifer or Cow Retention/Purchase Incentive and Certified Island Beef (CIB) Brand Incentive.
  • Consult the Herd Growth Plan Checklist to understand what must be included in your herd growth plan.
• Step 2: Develop herd growth plan (if applying for retention/purchase)
  • Prepare a detailed herd growth plan that identifies your herd growth goals and the plan for achieving them.
  • If needed, work with the Livestock Champion or the Provincial Beef Development Officer to develop the herd growth plan.
• Step 3: Gather required supporting documents
  • Obtain a current Premise Identification Number.
  • For the Heifer or Cow Retention/Purchase Incentive, complete Appendix A in the application form and ensure CCIA ear tag numbers and pregnancy confirmation documentation are available as required.
  • For the Certified Island Beef Incentives for cow-calf producers selling to a CIB‑approved feedlot, complete Appendix B (transport manifest) and ensure bills of sale or signed declarations of retention for finishing are available.
  • For finished cattle under the CIB incentives, ensure a CIB manifest will be supplied at the time of delivery to Atlantic Beef Products Inc. (ABP).
• Step 4: Complete the application form
  • Obtain and fill out the Grow the Herd Pilot Program application form.
  • Indicate which sub‑program(s) you are applying to: Heifer Retention/Heifer or Cow Purchase and/or Certified Island Beef Incentives.
  • Attach your herd growth plan if applying for the Heifer or Cow Retention/Purchase Incentive.
• Step 5: Submit the application to the Department of Agriculture
  • By email: send the completed application form and all required appendices and supporting documents to livestock@gov.pe.ca, and include “Grow the Herd Pilot Program” (program name) in the subject line.
  • By regular mail: send the completed application form and all required appendices and supporting documents to:
    PEI Department of Agriculture
    Grow the Herd Pilot Program
    11 Kent Street
    PO Box 2000
    Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
    Telephone: 902-368-4880
• Step 6: Await assessment and funding decision
  • Be aware that applications are assessed by the Department of Agriculture on a first‑come, first‑served basis for merit and impact.
  • Note that projects may be funded below the maximum contribution rate depending on assessment results and availability of funds.
• Step 7: Implement approved project and maintain records
  • Carry out your project within the timeframe specified in the funding agreement.
  • Maintain accurate records of all expenditures and project activities supported by the program.
• Step 8: Prepare and submit claim for reimbursement
  • Upon completion of the project (or as required by the agreement), complete a program Claim Form summarizing eligible expenditures.
  • Attach copies of all paid invoices with verification of payment.
  • Provide a report on the project and its results in relation to the project objectives.
  • Include copies of any material produced through the project, or photos of material funded when applicable.

• The Grow the Herd Pilot Program operates under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a federal–provincial–territorial cost-shared framework.
• All retained or purchased heifers supported under the program must remain in the herd for a minimum of two years, unless removed for documented health or production reasons.
• Annual reporting and on-farm audits may be conducted for herds with retained or on-farm finished animals to verify compliance and outcomes.
• Each animal is eligible to receive only one retention grant under this program and this support cannot be combined with other programs for the same animal.