Nicholas Donaldson
The second intake period for the Sustainable New Agri-Food Products & Productivity (SNAPP) funding program is officially open, with applications being accepted until Aug. 31.
SNAPP supports Northern Ontario agriculture and food producers, businesses, collaborations, communities, and First Nations by providing funding for projects involved in local food production.
The program offers funding at a 75 percent cost share, with single applicants being eligible for up to $5,000 in funding while collaborators of three or more entities are eligible for up to $15,000.
The Rural Agri-Innovation Network website states eligible projects may fall into one of three different streams: season extension, new products, or productivity enhancement.
Season extension projects enable producers to extend their production or the seasonal availability of perishable items.
New product projects are for producers looking to create primary or processed products that are new to the business, such as a new ready-to-eat processed product or the ability to produce a new farm product.
Productivity enhancement projects use innovative technologies or processes to increase efficiency in an operation, such as new meat processing, food packaging, or food labelling equipment.
Other examples of eligible projects are greenhouse structures, cold storage equipment, building materials, and technology upgrades.
Purchases of gifts or incentives, computer software, land, labour costs, inventory, and rolling stock (i.e., tractors, vans, or trucks) are not eligible.
Applications will need to include some sort of business registration, a business plan if the business is a start-up, and a Client Intake Form.
During the first intake period (which closed Feb. 28), four local businesses were successful in their applications.
Cornell Farms, Rainy River Elk Company, Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association, and GJC Artisanal Chickens received funds for productivity and season extension, bringing a total of $22,856.78 to Rainy River District.
They were part of the 12 projects funded in the Northwest region (Thunder Bay, Kenora, and Rainy River districts), gaining a total of $67,548.69 to increase the amount of local food being produced and sold in Northwestern Ontario.
Information, eligibility, and the application can be found at www.rainalgoma.ca/snapp
There also will be a third intake opening on Dec. 1 for another chance to submit an application.
