Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge

Eligibility

Applicants:

• Businesses or other for-profit organizations incorporated in Canada;
• Not-for-profit organizations registered in Canada;
• Producers, producer organizations and associations within Canada;
• Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) individuals, organizations or groups of individuals located in Canada;
• Post-secondary/academic institutions located in Canada;
• Individuals or groups of individuals based in Canada;
• Collaborations between one or more of the above categories of applicants and international parties.

International individuals or groups of individuals are encouraged to apply but will be required to establish a Canadian legal entity in order to be eligible to receive funding.

Note: Eligible applicants must be legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements.

Summary

The Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge aims to support solutions that can reduce methane emissions from the cattle sector in Canada. For the purpose of this challenge, the cattle sector is limited to the cow-calf, feedlot and dairy sector. Despite decades of ongoing research in this area, there are several innovation gaps in advancing methane reduction solutions and reducing barriers to their adoption, especially in cow-calf operations.

Objectives

The objectives of the Challenge are to:

1. Reduce net enteric methane emissions in the cattle sector;
2. Accelerate innovative methane reduction solutions, particularly in the cow-calf sector;
3. Invest financial and non-financial resources in the rapid development of methane reduction solutions;
4. Increase awareness of the impact of methane and ways to reduce emissions in the sector;
5. Support the successful adoption and scale-up of solutions on-farm;
6. Facilitate knowledge and technology transfer activities within the sector to encourage adoption;
7. Improve measurement tools and data to account for methane emissions reduction;
8. Facilitate collaborations between the industry, producers, scientists, innovators and AAFC.

Results achieved through the Challenge will contribute to Canada’s efforts in reducing methane emissions, thereby supporting its commitment towards the Global Methane Pledge which aims to reduce global methane emissions by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030.

Funding Considerations

• $250,000
  Up to 20 semi-finalists will be selected to receive up to $250,000 each to support the development of a technology, practice or process to reduce enteric methane emissions.
• $500,000
  Up to 10 finalists with the top solutions will be selected to receive up to $500,000 each to test their solution in an operational environment in partnership with the solution’s end users. 
• $1,000,000
  Up to 2 prizes of up to $1 million will be given to the innovators who best demonstrate the widespread applicability of their solutions.

Resources

• Applicant Guide
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Infographic
• Faster and Further: Canada’s Methane Strategy