Food Security and Supply Chain Fund

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the applicant's location and sector involvement.

• The applicant must be an Ontario agri-food business or organization.
• Eligible businesses include farms that supply Ontario food processors with their products.
• Farms with production and on-site agri-food processing activities are eligible.
• Food processing businesses that source a significant portion of agricultural inputs from Ontario farms are eligible.
• For the Agri-Food Supply Chain Resiliency Analysis Stream, eligible applicants also include Ontario agri-food non-profit organizations representing Ontario agri-food businesses.

Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants include Ontario agri-food businesses such as farms supplying Ontario food processors, farms with production and on-site processing activities, and food processing businesses sourcing significant agricultural inputs from Ontario farms. Additionally, Ontario agri-food organizations that are not-for-profit and represent Ontario agri-food businesses can apply, particularly for the Agri-Food Supply Chain Resiliency Analysis Stream.

Eligible expenses

The grant focuses on costs related to resiliency analysis and infrastructure investments to enhance agri-food sector capacity and supply chain stability.

• Costs for conducting resiliency analysis to identify supply chain gaps and weaknesses.
• Expenses related to developing action plans for priority supply chain areas.
• Purchase of new grading and automation technologies for sorting and packing lines.
• Investment in innovative robotics to increase crop yields and reduce costs.
• Expansion of storage capacity for supply chain resiliency.
• On-farm biosecurity improvement equipment.
• Adoption of robotic milking systems for dairy operations.
• Refrigeration and production capacity enhancements in food processing.
• Conversion of cheese lines to enhance supply stability.
• Investment in inventory software for operational efficiencies.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant, as part of Ontario's economic initiatives, targets companies located within specific regions to address local agri-food sector challenges. The focus is primarily on businesses operating across the province of Ontario.

• Businesses and organizations based in Ontario.

The following additional details are relevant to this grant:

• The grant can be used to leverage additional funding from private sources.
• Recipients must comply with specific reporting requirements set by the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC).
• There may be amendments or additional intakes announced in the future, as determined by OMAFRA.
• The funding is contingent upon meeting determined milestones and objectives.