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The Rural Water Quality Program
Wellington County
The Rural Water Quality Program is an initiative of the County of
Wellington and the City of Guelph to improve water quality in the County.
Together the County and the City have committed $1,350,000 to cost-share
the implementation of best management practices on agricultural lands,
from October 1, 1999 to December 31, 2003.
Financial assistance is available to qualified landowners to share the
cost of selected best management practices that improve water quality. You
can receive up to $25,000 per farm for eligible projects. Financial
assistance ranges from 50% to 100%, depending on the project.
Financial incentives will be offered either as:
1. A grant to cost-share the implementation costs of a project, and/or
2. As an annual performance incentive for implementing a specific
management practice or to cover annual operational costs.
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Projects Eligible for Funding
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Group One: Grant Only |
grant rate %
|
maximum grant ($)
|
Livestock Waste Management
|
milkhouse wastewater treatment |
50
|
5,000
|
| manure storage |
50
|
15,000
|
| clean water diversion |
50
|
5,000
|
| Dead stock composting facilities |
50
|
2,000
|
| livestock access restriction* |
75
|
10,000
|
Farmstead
|
wellhead protection |
50
|
500
|
| plugging unused wells |
100
|
500
|
| fertilizer, chemical or fuel storage/handling |
50
|
1,000
|
Erosion control structures
|
grassed waterways, water and sediment control basins, terraces, stream
bank stabilization and drop inlets |
75
|
8,000
|
|
*Livestock access restriction materials are eligible for 100%
cost-share if installed by the landowner.
|
|
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Group Two: Grant with performance incentives |
grant rate %
|
maximum grant ($)
|
Livestock waste management
|
nutrient management plans
$200/yr performance incentive
|
50
|
500
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Cropping practices
|
contour cropping
$20/acre/yr (max 50 acres) performance incentive
|
50
|
1,000
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Fragile agricultural land retirement
|
stream buffers, fragile land retirement, field windbreaks
$250/acre/yr (max 10 acres) performance incentive
|
75
|
6,000
|
|
|
Group Three: Performance incentives only |
performance incentive ($)
|
maximum acreage
|
Cropping practices
|
residue management |
$20/acre/yr
|
50
|
| cover crops |
$20/acre/yr
|
50
|
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| Contact the Rural Water Quality Program staff at
the Grand River C.A. or your local Conservation Authority to verify
that your proposed project meets the guidelines.
Grand River C.A. (519) 621-2761
Credit Valley Conservation 800-668-5557
Conservation Halton (905) 336-1158
Hamilton Region C.A. (905) 648-4427
Maitland Valley C.A. (519) 335-3557
Saugeen Conservation (519) 364-1255
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| For Environmental Farm Plan information,
contact Fergus OMAF at 1-800-265-8332. |
Representatives from the following
partners have been involved in developing the program:
City of Guelph
Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario
County of Wellington
Environmental Farm Plan Program
Grand River Conservation Authority
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs
Wellington County Cattlemen's Association
Wellington County Pork Producers
Wellington Dairy Producer Committee
Wellington Federation of Agriculture
Wellington Stewardship Council
Wellington Society for the Countryside
Wellington Soil and Crop Improvement Association |
Back to Grants |
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