RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program (PREP)

• The applicant must be a primary agricultural producer operating in Alberta.
• The applicant must be responsible for the input costs of a crop or livestock operation generating at least $25,000 in annual farm cash receipts.
• The applicant must manage and perform the day-to-day work on the farm (not just be a landowner/landlord).
• The project must involve on-farm research or evaluation of a new or emerging production practice, technology, or management approach compared to current practice.
• The project must be designed to collect measurable data and conduct analysis (including economic analysis) to assess the feasibility and impact of the practice change.

Who is eligible?

• Primary crop producers operating in Alberta
• Primary livestock producers operating in Alberta
• Organizations that directly participate in the service of the Alberta livestock industry (when under contract with eligible primary producers)
• Organizations that directly participate in the service of the Alberta crop industry (when under contract with eligible primary producers)
• Organizations involved in the development of the Alberta livestock or crop industry (when under contract with eligible primary producers)

Who is not eligible

• Landlords whose only involvement in a crop or livestock operation is ownership of the land, without responsibility for farm management or input costs.
• Organizations or entities that are not primary producers directly responsible for day-to-day management and input costs of an Alberta crop or livestock operation.
• Applicants whose farm operation does not generate at least $25,000 in annual farm cash receipts.
• Projects focused on capital investments or activities that are already funded or eligible under other specified Alberta agriculture programs (e.g., On-Farm Efficiency, Water Program, Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program, On-Farm Climate Action Fund), since these expenses are ineligible under PREP.

Eligible expenses

• Costs for sample collection, laboratory sample analysis, data analysis and economic analysis directly related to the project.
• Fees for third-party service providers such as agronomists, veterinarians, professional agrologists, certified crop advisors and technical consultants.
• Costs of materials, supplies and equipment rentals that are directly required for the project and go beyond normal production practices (up to a maximum of $10,000 per project).

Eligible geographic areas

• Primary producers operating in Alberta.

• Alignment of the project with the purpose of the Producer Research and Evaluation Program and the broader Accelerating Agricultural Innovations 2.0 objectives.
• Clarity of the research question and the extent to which outcomes are measurable, reportable and verifiable for the applicant and other Alberta producers.
• Emergent and innovative nature of the project and its potential for broader adoption by other producers.
• Feasibility and appropriateness of the project timelines, including the opportunity to share results with other producers (e.g., field days, tours, presentations).
• Quality and clarity of the budget, including how well eligible expenses are outlined, justified and demonstrate cost-effective use of funds.

• Anonymized project results may be publicly posted on the RDAR website, with applicants’ personal information excluded.
• All eligible project expenses must occur on or after April 1, 2025 to be reimbursable.
• The overall program budget is $1,000,000, with a stated maximum total funding available for the program in 2024.
• Applicants who have used the OFCAF portal must apply to PREP with a different ARGO email/login, but can use an email alias (e.g., adding “+PREP” to their address).