Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 2024

Sponsor

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)

Program

Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge

Description

Addressing methane emissions from cattle is complex. About 86% of methane emissions in agriculture are released through a biological process called enteric fermentation that takes place in the gut of cattle and other ruminant animals. Therefore, emerging solutions need to be backed by strong scientific evidence to ensure the welfare of the animal and the safety of the product that will be ultimately sold to consumers while accounting for the variability in farm operations. Moreover, there are only a limited number of scientifically validated and economically viable solutions ready for commercialization and/or adoption. There is an urgent need for innovations and breakthroughs.

Eligibility

From farmers to researchers to businesses and more, the Challenge is open to all Canadians looking to advance innovative, scalable, and economically viable practices, processes, and technologies that reduce enteric methane emissions. In order to be eligible to receive prizes, innovators must establish a legal entity (such as a registered business, corporation or not-for-profit organization) capable of entering into binding agreements in Canada. International innovators are encouraged to apply but will be required to establish a Canadian legal entity in order to be eligible to receive funding. In addition, innovators will be required to test, pilot, demonstrate, and deploy their solution in Canada. Underrepresented and marginalized groups in Canadian agriculture — including women, youth, persons with disabilities, racialized persons, visible minorities, 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and official language minority communities are encouraged to apply.

Prize

Up to $12 million in total will be awarded to semi-finalists, finalists and winners of the Challenge alongside a host of non-financial supports such as mentorship, advisory and training supports.

See the Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge Process and Prizes website for additional details. 

How to Apply

• Stage 1 – Application Intake & Prototype Development

  Call for applications: November 2023

  Applicants with an innovative way to reduce enteric methane from cattle are invited to apply to the Challenge. For the purpose of this Challenge, the cattle sector is limited to the cow-calf, feedlot, and dairy sector.

  The deadline to apply is February 7, 2024 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Stage 1 is divided into the following two sub-stages.

  Stage 1A – Concept Application – Challenge launched on November 14, 2023 and the application intake runs for 3 months. Up to 20 semi-finalists with the most promising concept applications will receive up to $100,000 each in summer 2024.

  Stage 1B – Prototype Development – In spring 2025, up to 20 prizes of $150,000 will be awarded to all semi-finalists that meet the Stage 1B requirements so they can build their solution and get it ready to test it in an operational environment.

• Stage 2 – Testing and measurement

  In Spring 2026, up to 10 finalists will be selected to receive up to $500,000 each to further test and measure the impact of their solution in partnership with the end users of the solution, including by testing their solution on-farm.

• Stage 3 – Grow and scale

  Up to 2 finalists with the most impressive results will each receive up to $1 million in Winter 2028 and become Challenge Prize winners for the Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge.

For More Information

Please see the Agriculture Methane Reduction Challenge website.