RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program

Q: How much funding can be received?

RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program Funds up to 80% of admissible expenses, capped at $20000 per project.

Q: What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Q: Is the RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?

RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program is a Grant and Funding

Q: Who are the financial supporters of the RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program?

RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program is funded by Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR)

Q: Who is eligible for the RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program program?

To be eligible for the RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program program, you must: • Primary producers must operate in Alberta. • Applicants must be responsible for input costs for a crop or livestock operation producing at least $25,000 in annual farm cash receipts. • Applicants must manage and work daily on the farm, not merely own the land.

Q: Who can I contact for more information about the RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program?

You can contact Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) by email at PREP@rdar.ca.

Q: Where is the RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program available?

The RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program program is available the province of AB.

Last Update: January 24, 2025

AB, Canada

Apply for the Producer Research and Evaluation Program to innovate on-farm practices with up to $20,000 in funding!

At a glance

Eligible Funding

Max. $20,000
Up to 80% of project cost

Timeline

Unspecified

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

All industries

Funds Providers

Unspecified

Program status

Open

Overview

The Producer Research and Evaluation Program (PREP) offers funding to support on-farm research, allowing producers to evaluate emerging technologies, products, and production practices within unique farm conditions to enhance profitability, competitiveness, and sustainability. Eligible activities include on-farm research trials and evaluations that gather sufficient data to assess the impact of new production practices or technologies. Each project can receive up to $20,000, with the funding covering up to 80% of the eligible expenses.

Financing terms and conditions

The RDAR Producer Research and Evaluation Program provides strategic financial support to producers undertaking on-farm research projects. The funding aims to assist producers in evaluating new technologies and practices to enhance productivity and sustainability.

Eligible projects can receive up to $20,000 in funding.
Funding is structured as a cost-share arrangement, covering up to 80% of the invoiced project expenses, with the remaining 20% to be covered by the applicant.
Expenses eligible for funding include third-party service providers, agronomists, veterinarians, professional agrologists, certified crop advisors, technical consultants, and materials, supplies, and equipment rentals directly required for the project up to a maximum of $10,000.
Receipts, invoices, and proof of payments must be under the applicant's legal entity or organization name to qualify for expense processing.
Ineligible expenses include those supported by other Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership programs and certain sales taxes (GST, PST, HST), among others.
Successful proposals will be evaluated based on alignment with the program's purpose, potential innovation adoption by other producers, and other specific criteria.
There is a requirement to acknowledge RDAR's funding on all project-related promotional materials, adhering to RDAR's Grant Communications Guide.

Activities funded

The Producer Research and Evaluation Program supports agricultural initiatives by funding on-farm research and evaluation activities. Eligible projects focus on testing new production practices and emerging technologies within farm-specific environments.

Conducting on-farm research trials to determine the feasibility and efficacy of new production practices.
Evaluating emerging agricultural technologies to determine their impact and viability in specific farm conditions.
Collecting data to assess the economic and practical return on investment for new practices and technologies.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 16,000

Evaluating the efficiency of drip irrigation on vegetable crops

$ 17,600

Assessing new hydroponic systems for leafy greens

$ 15,200

Testing organic pest control methods on apple orchards

$ 14,800

Evaluating the impact of biochar soil amendments on wheat productivity

$ 17,600

Testing automated milking systems for improved dairy efficiency

$ 14,400

Trialing solar-powered fencing to enhance livestock management

Eligibility

Eligibility for this grant is contingent upon specific criteria related to the applicant's farming operations and management responsibilities.

Applicants must be primary producers operating in Alberta.
Applicants must be responsible for input costs for an operation producing at least $25,000 in annual farm cash receipts.
Applicants must be responsible for day-to-day management and work on the farm.
Applicants must not be landlords solely owning the land without active management or operation involvement.

Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants for the Producer Research and Evaluation Program must meet specific criteria to be considered for funding.

Primary producers operating in Alberta.
Responsible for input costs for a crop or livestock operation generating at least $25,000 in annual farm cash receipts.
Responsible for the day-to-day management and work on the farm, excluding landlords with only ownership interest in the land.

Who is not eligible

This grant is specifically targeted to primary producers in Alberta with certain operational criteria. Restrictions exclude certain entities to maintain focus on entities actively involved in on-farm operations.

Landlords whose only interest is ownership of the land and not involved in active farming operations.

Eligible expenses

The Producer Research and Evaluation Program (PREP) supports on-farm research initiatives that aim to evaluate emerging technologies and practices. These projects are designed to help producers make informed decisions by collecting sufficient data on the feasibility and impact of new production strategies.

On-farm research trials that include adequate data collection to assess the impact of the production practice or technology tested within the project.
Testing or evaluating emerging technology and farming practices.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is available exclusively to primary producers operating within a specific geographical region. The eligible area has been determined to facilitate targeted support to the agronomic community.

Producers operating within the province of Alberta, Canada.

Selection criteria

The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant focus on alignment with the program's objectives, measurable results, and potential for broader adoption.

Alignment with the purpose of the Program.
The project answers a research question with a measurable, reportable, and verifiable outcome or impact to inform the Applicant, and other Alberta producers.
The emergent and potential nature of the project.
The project timelines are achievable and appropriate.
Adoption potential of the innovation by other producers.
The opportunity for the proposal results to be presented to other producers.
Budget items are clear and justified.

How to apply

Visit ARGO

Go to the ARGO web page using your internet browser.
Click the "Register" button if you are a new user.

Register for the PREP Program

Select the “Producer Research and Evaluation Program - PREP” registration option.

Fill out the PREP Contact Information Page

Add your corporation name (if applicable) in your contact information for proper documentation of receipts and invoices.

Verify Your ARGO Email and Password

After receiving your ARGO login email, create a password for your account.
Log in to your account and select “Funding Opportunities” at the top of the page.
Select “Apply Now” for the “Producer Research and Evaluation Program - PREP” from the list and click “Proceed.”

Complete and Submit Your Application

Complete the PREP application questions thoroughly.
Submit your completed application via the ARGO system.

Confirmation of Submission

Receive an automated confirmation email to verify your application submission.
Keep the confirmation for your records.

Additional information

Here are some additional miscellaneous details about the grant:

Applications must include a budget with clear and justified items.
Funding cannot overlap with the cost-share requirements of other Sustainable CAP programs.
All receipts, invoices, and proof of payments must match the applicant's legal entity/organization name.
RDAR's contribution to the project must be acknowledged according to the Grant Communications Guide.
The program includes a video tutorial available on YouTube for application guidance.

Contacts

PREP@rdar.ca

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the RDAR — Producer Research and Evaluation Program. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.