INNOVATION THEME
2017–2018
Agri-Products Innovation and
Commercialization
Guidelines
Version 2
Our mandate is to grow the rural economy of this province and
we will do that by investing in agriculture.
PROGRAM GUIDELINES 2017–2018
AGRI-PRODUCTS INNOVATION and COMMERCIALIZATION 2
For more information please contact:
Department of Agriculture
Programs and Business Risk Management
74 Research Drive
Bible Hill, Nova Scotia B6L 2R2
Tel: 902-893-6377
Toll free: 1-866-844-4276
Fax: 902-893-7579
Email: [email protected]
novascotia.ca/programs
PROGRAM GUIDELINES 2017–2018
AGRI-PRODUCTS INNOVATION and COMMERCIALIZATION 3
Overview
The Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture (NSDA) and Agriculture and Agri‐Food Canada (AAFC)
entered into a five‐year (2013‐2018) bilateral agreement to implement Growing Forward 2, the policy
framework for agriculture.
Under the Growing Forward 2 bilateral agreement, $37 million in federal and provincial funding will be
invested over five years towards strategic initiative programming. Over the five years Growing Forward
2 and Homegrown Success programs will focus on three thematic areas:
1) Innovation
2) Competitiveness and Market Development
3) Adaptability and Industry Capacity
With the strength of our partnership with Agriculture and Agri‐Food Canada and the funding for
programming under Growing Forward 2, the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture is well‐positioned to
provide assistance for the tools needed to improve profitability and competitiveness in Nova Scotia.
INNOVATION
The innovation theme supports and promotes a market-oriented, consumer-driven agricultural industry
by investing in initiatives that will improve the competitiveness and profitability of Nova Scotia’s
agriculture, agri-food and agri-based product sector. The innovation theme provides support through
the following four initiatives:
• The Research Acceleration initiative, which supports the development and adaption of new and
leading agricultural technologies and knowledge to enhance the competitive position of Nova
Scotia’s agriculture and agri-food industry. Specifically, this initiative supports research
positions and applied research projects identified as key priority areas by industry and
educational institutions.
• The Farm Innovation initiative supports the assessment, adoption and implementation of
innovative technologies on the farm to improve profitability and competitiveness. Projects
should also provide benefits for the industry and/or community. Innovative projects should be
new and not currently available or adopted in Nova Scotia. Projects will be classed as either
innovative projects or as crop and livestock management projects.
• The Agri-Products Innovation and Commercialization initiative supports the creation and
commercialization of new innovative opportunities to strengthen the competitiveness of Nova
Scotia’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-based product sectors.
• The Atlantic Agriculture Research and Innovation Initiative encourages Atlantic Canadian
collaboration and provide financial assistance on research and Innovation projects, of mutual
benefit, which can lead to improved profitability, competitiveness, and sustainability of the
agriculture, agri-food, and agri-product sectors in Atlantic Canada.
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AGRI-PRODUCTS INNOVATION and COMMERCIALIZATION 4
Agri-Products Innovation and Commercialization
Project objectives include:
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increasing the industry’s ability to identify and develop new market opportunities
enhancing the industry’s ability to anticipate and create new innovative opportunities
advancing the commercialization of new agri-based technologies, products and processes, and
enhancing linkages and opportunities for those in the sector to acquire the expertise and assistance
needed to capture new opportunities.
General Program Information
Who Can Apply
An eligible applicant is a farm that:
• is currently registered under the Farm Registration Act;
• is at least 19 years of age and actively farming in the program year;
• generates an annual eligible gross farming income of $10,000 or more. The eligible farming income
will be based on the Statement of Farming Activities (T2042, T1273) or Schedule 125 (Farm Revenue –
detailing sales by commodity revenue code) for corporations and limited companies that was filed
with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the most recently filed tax year. The minimum income
requirement must be satisfied by eligible commodity sales or agricultural custom work; however, only
up to $2,500 of sales may be comprised of forest product sales or agricultural custom work.
New Entrant: For the purpose of this program, an applicant is considered a new entrant for the first five
years from the date of initial registration. The requirement of generating $10,000 in farm income will be
waived if the applicant:
• has registered for the first time during or after the 2013-14 registration year; and
• must be able to show that it is an active farm, e.g., incurring commodity expenses.
An eligible applicant is an agri-businesses or industry association that:
• represents identifiable Nova Scotia agriculture and agri-food products;
• generates an annual gross income of $10,000 or more, waived for entities that demonstrate not-forprofit status;
• demonstrates a direct partnership and beneficial economic impact to the Nova Scotia primary
agricultural industry (e.g. sourcing available raw inputs and/or products from the local primary
agricultural industry);
• demonstrates value-added processing to the raw Nova Scotia agriculture product;
Government agencies and universities may be eligible, provided that industry support/contribution and
partnership are demonstrated. Partnership must be indicated through letters of support or
contributions from industry.
Note: Not-for-profit organizations must provide Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) documentation to
substantiate their not-for-profit status.
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AGRI-PRODUCTS INNOVATION and COMMERCIALIZATION 5
How to Apply
Step 1 - Submit the Letter of Intent Form to the Programs and Business Risk Management (PBRM) office
of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture by January 27, 2017. Letters of Intent will be reviewed by
the Value Chain Division of the NS Department of Agriculture. A Business Development Officer may
contact you to discuss your Letter of Intent.
Step 2 - If your Letter of Intent is accepted, you will be provided with a template to submit a detailed
proposal to the Programs and Business Risk Management (PBRM) office by March 29, 2017. Full
proposals will be reviewed and considered for funding approval by a Selection Committee of industry
peers and/or subject matter experts.
Submit the letter of intent and proposals to:
Programs and Business Risk Management (PBRM)
74 Research Drive, Bible Hill
Nova Scotia B6L 2R2
Phone: 902-893-6377 Toll free: 1-866-844-4276
Fax: 902-893-7579
Email: [email protected]
Upon approval, applicants will receive a Letter of Agreement which identifies the eligible project
activities, assistance offered and the terms and conditions to which assistance is approved. Please
review this carefully, sign and return to the PBRM office within 60 days.
Available Assistance
Applicants can apply for a maximum of $20,000 for one year with assistance up to 75 per cent of total
eligible cash expenditures. Once approved, a Letter of Agreement (LOA) will be sent to the applicant
and the project will then be eligible for a one-third advance upon receipt of a signed copy of the LOA by
the applicant.
Examples of Eligible Expenses
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direct project costs
contracted labour/consultants/professional fees
materials, supplies
rentals
specialized equipment
HST for qualifying not-for-profit organizations and universities
Ineligible Expenses
• infrastructure
• administration and general overhead
• operating expenses, existing staff salaries
Claiming
All claims must be submitted to the PBRM office no later than March 1, 2018 of each fiscal year. Interim
claims can be submitted any time. All projects must be paid for and completed by March 1, 2018. The
claim must include copies of all invoices for eligible project costs incurred and paid by the applicant.
Applicants must include proof of payment to support completed approved project activities (e.g., debit
slips or official invoices marked paid and signed by supplier, cancelled cheques, credit card statements).
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AGRI-PRODUCTS INNOVATION and COMMERCIALIZATION 6
Written Reports
Projects approved for funding have the following mandatory reporting requirements:
• final reports to be submitted electronically to the PBRM office;
• final reports for projects must be submitted 30 days after the final claim deadline;
• reports shall be a two-page summary or factsheet of the project and findings;
• failure to submit a final report will affect future funding considerations by the PBRM office; and
• reports may be made available publically on the department’s website.
Project Evaluation and Audit
Review and evaluation of projects may be carried out by officials of the Nova Scotia Department of
Agriculture (NSDA) or other parties chosen by the NSDA for the purpose of audit, analysis, evaluation,
program development and determining assistance. This review and evaluation process may be
conducted prior to project commencement, during work or upon project completion. Applicants may be
asked to complete an evaluation survey statement related to their final claim.
Confidentiality
Applicants consent to the release of their name and the amount of support received under the program
as public information to be actively disseminated by the Department of Agriculture. Any other
information provided, unless disclosed in the manner and for the purposes stated above, will be subject
to the confidentiality and disclosure provisions to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
(FOIPOP) Act.
Contact Information
To find out more information about the Business Development Program please contact Programs at:
902-893-6377, toll free 1-866-844-4276, or your regional office at the following locations:
Central Region
Truro office
902-893-6575
Valley Region
Kentville office
902-679-6021
Western Region
Cornwallis office
902-638-2395
Eastern Region
Antigonish office
902-863-7180
Cape Breton Region
Sydney office
902-563-2000
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AGRI-PRODUCTS INNOVATION and COMMERCIALIZATION 7
Scoring Template for Full Proposal Invitees
Program: Agri-Products Innovation and Commercialization
Key Components:
Weight
%
1. Comprehensive Project Description
25%
2. Business Case
50%
3. Budget and Financing
10%
4. Project Management Plan and Expertise
10%
5. Evaluation Plan
5%
a. Project Overview
- Description of key points/goals/activities/expected results
- Identification of collaboration
b. Background Information and Statement of the Problem/Opportunity
- History of project activities
- Indication of why project should be funded
a. Project Objectives and Value Proposition
- Overlap between proposal and guideline objectives
- Discussion of value proposition for the business
- Benefits to the business (i.e. competition, innovation, profitability)
b. Methods
- Timelines
- Link between methods and objectives
- Identification of any new, unique, or innovative actions
c. Available Resources/Support
- Listing of project partners and their contributions to the project (funding, resources,
materials, donations, etc.)
- Describe the current financial status of the business.
d. Required Resources/Support
- Description of personnel, facilities, equipment, supplies, communication, etc.
e. Impact to the Nova Scotia Agriculture Industry
- Details of specific market and customer information
- Project’s strategic, market, or economic advantage
- Listing of letters of support from local resources
- Listing of all project expense details, including eligible and non-eligible items
- Identification of costs shared with other organizations
- Description of how project will be executed, monitored, and controlled
- Description of project management team (roles, expertise)
- Identification of project partners
- Description of how project will be evaluated with reference to objectives
6. Appendices
- Do not include full business plans, marketing plans, strategies, or reports.
- Concise and relevant to proposed project
- Example include financial statements, letters of support, Cooperative Agency descriptions, and
contractor/product quotes
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