Dufferin County’s 2026 Experimental Acres open for applications
Dufferin County invites farmers to apply to the 2026 Experimental Acres Program by March 27, 2026.
Experimental Acres provides Dufferin farmers with educational and financial support to de-risk new practices that improve yield, soil health, carbon sequestration and overall sustainability. The Program is intended to champion farmer-led discovery, with small-scale experimentation that can link to larger funding opportunities. Farmer-created projects will be supported through three Experimental Acres funding streams:
Living Roots and Green Cover
Maintaining soil cover helps reduce soil erosion from wind and precipitation. Example practices include cover cropping, intercropping and introducing new crops into the rotation.
Innovation
The innovation stream is for projects that can benefit soil health and do not fit into other categories. Example practices include tarping to reduce tillage intensity, winter crop rotation, and planting tall grass prairie.
Integrating Animals on the Farm
Integrating animals on the farm can have many benefits to soil health and promote carbon storage in cropland soil. Example practices include rotational grazing, silvopasture and bale grazing.
Over the previous three growing seasons, Experimental Acres has supported diverse producer-led projects such as suppressing plant competition using ducks, implementing espalier methods, natural pesticide creation, companion planting, cover crops, and green manure. Project profiles are available to explore on the County’s Experimental Acres webpage.
Successful applicants can expect to receive prompt reimbursement of costs to de-risk their trial, and for soil testing and result analysis, research support from staff, and information about related events and programs.
Dufferin farmers are encouraged to submit an application for funding by March 27, 2026 here.
Quick links
Quotes
“Dufferin County continues to invest in a strong, innovative agriculture sector. Through the Experimental Acres Program, farmers gain early-stage support to test new ideas, build momentum, and position themselves for future funding while scaling up regenerative approaches on their farms. The Experimental Acres Program is grounded in respect for farmer expertise. We know that every farm is different, and real progress comes from solutions designed by producers that reflect practical, on-the-ground realities.”
-Lisa Post, Warden, Dufferin County
“Experimental Acres brings farmers and partners together in a shared learning journey to advance sustainable agriculture. The program supports practices that strengthen climate resilience while improving soil health, protecting water resources, and increasing biodiversity.”
-Sara MacRae, Manager of Climate and Energy, Dufferin County
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Ball, Manager of Communications
mball@dufferincounty.ca
