RAIN’s SNAPP Funding

The Rural Agri-Innovation Network has opened applications for their annual Sustainable New Agri-Food Products & Productivity Program.

Intake is open from now until January 13, 2023.

Producers in Northern Ontario may qualify to receive this cost-share funding, where SNAPP will provide up to %10,000 at a 50% cost-share towards purchase of equipment and/or materials.

From the RAIN website: Eligible projects may fall under the following streams:

• New Products – Projects that enable agriculture or food producers to create primary or processed products that are new to the business and foster innovation while increasing competitive advantage. Examples of potentially eligible projects include:
  • Processing equipment (mixers, sterilizers, wash, and pack systems, etc.) for the creation of innovative value-added products to expand to new consumer markets and meet demand.
    • Packaging equipment (vacuum sealers, bottling equipment, labelers, etc.) to enable expansion of new production lines and increase distribution.

• Productivity Enhancement – Projects that utilize innovative technologies or processes to increase efficiencies in their operations and improve processes or products. Examples of potentially eligible projects include:
  • Innovative pest or predator management to increase efficiency and better control crop production.
  • Precision agriculture technologies to meet management objectives and increase overall sales.   
  • LED lighting for hydroponic growing to increase productivity of year-round produce. 

• Clean Growth in Agri-Food – Projects that adopt clean technology at the farm/business level and support improved environmental performance while fostering productivity, growth and competitiveness. Eligible projects must demonstrate how the project will grow the business in a way that benefits the environment or lessens the impact on the environment through technology adoption. Projects that can quantify these positive and negative impacts will be prioritized.
  • Examples of potentially eligible projects include:
  • Irrigation or rainwater harvesting system to increase productivity and improve drought resilience.
  • Minimal or no-till equipment to improve crop productivity and increase environmental benefit.
  • Passive solar greenhouse system to increase year-round production and reduce energy use.

All details can be found here on RAIN’s website.

Cornell University’s “Sweet Talk” Maple Podcast

An excellent podcast hosted by Adam Wild and Aaron Wightman, co-directors of the Cornell Maple Program. Episodes cover content including maple product development, quality control, early tapping and sugarbush management.

They also have a segment on their website where you can ask a maple specialist and potentially get your question answered on the podcast. Ideal listening for long delivery drives!

Also available on all major phone streaming platforms (e.g. Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher) and online.

Out of the Woods: Enriching Your Maple Business

A Free Webinar Series by Future Generations University

This monthly webinar series covers a broad array of topics of interest to the maple syrup producer: from tree science and woodlot management to marketing and taxes. Featuring industry experts and producers, each session will have a presentation or two followed by Q&A. Stay tuned as the schedule rolls out.

Upcoming dates:

Nov 17, 2022 07:00 PM
Dec 15, 2022 07:00 PM

Past webinars include:

• Standards and Grading
• Record-keeping for Production & Business
• Sanitation Session
• Climate Change Impacts and Risks to Southern Maple Production
• Finding New Markets
• Business & Finances

Click here to register