Three farmers in the Lambton-Kent area have received environmental innovation grant funding for alternative, home-grown fertilizer projects.
The Ontario government previously announced a Fertilizer Challenge in order to reduce the dependency on foreign-sourced products and associated supply chain issues.
Three area organizations recently received $200,000 each in grant funding.
Alvinston's BioLine Corporation is focused on the reduction of conventional fertilizer use with Fulvic acid-based nutrient efficiency enhancement.
CanGrow Crop Solutions of Alvinston is looking at reducing fertilizer use through the combined application of microbials.
Haggerty AgRobotics of Bothwell is working on real-time automated soil fertilizer indexing.
“Our government will always do what it takes to support Ontario’s farmers, which is why we are laying the groundwork for Ontario-made fertilizer manufacturing,” said Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson. “Projects across the province are underway to provide our farmers with fertilizer resources developed and produced right here in Ontario.”
As previously stated by the provincial government, ten new projects will receive funding through the $2-million Fertilizer Challenge.
The challenge was delivered by Bioenterprise Canada, which is a national non-profit business accelerator, supporting Ontario’s food supply chain and agricultural practices.
“Ontario’s farmers are heroes helping keep food on the table for our families,” said Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton. “Our government will continue to support made-in-Ontario farming solutions that build stronger and more sustainable communities for all of us.”
*On April 13, Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey announced $199,900 in funding for SureSource Commodities LLC in Petrolia through the Fertilizer Challenge.
SureSource President Barbara VanDerWal, MPP Bob Bailey, SureSource CFO/COO Todd Klingbyle, and Sales Lead Rob Wallbridge. April 13, 2023. (Photo courtesy of MPP Bailey's office)
The Petrolia company will receive $199,900 for their project which involves pelleted customer-formula cricket frass fertilizers.
Frass is a new alternative fertilizer ingredient sourced from Aspire, a London processing facility.
"SureSource has positioned itself favourably with several key partners, stakeholders, and subcontractors required to successfully commercialize cricket frass in Ontario by Spring 2023," read a media release.
In 2021, Ontario farmers spent over $1.2 billion on commercial fertilizers and lime.