Call for Collaboration: Testing Biological Amendments on Farm (OSCIA Funding Opportunity)

[Colleen Dempster]

Greetings TUG community,

Are you curious about using and testing biological amendments on your farm? 

The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) has opened a cost-share program supporting on-farm trials that use biological products to enable nitrogen fixation in field crops. The program is designed to test real-world applications of microbial amendments and to collect meaningful data on soil health, nitrogen cycling, and crop outcomes. The OSCIA is offering 85% cost-share funding up to a maximum of $100,000 per project application.

Eligibility for the OSCIA On-Farm Climate Action Fund:
Participating farms must meet Ontario’s farm eligibility requirements. This typically means having a valid Farm Business Registration Number (FBRN), or meeting one of the alternative eligibility pathways: owning 25 acres or more assessed as farm property, or having an income exemption under the Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program. Many peri-urban and some urban farming operations already meet these criteria, even without an FBRN. 

As a soil scientist and biological amendment producer, I am currently seeking one or more urban or peri-urban farms interested in applying to this program in collaboration with my business Rewild Soils.

What I would contribute as a project partner:

• Support in designing a Work Plan and applying for the Enrolment Form
• Baseline and follow-up soil microbial analysis, using standardized Soil Food Web School microscopy to assess bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes
• A tailored biological amendment plan, designed specifically for your crop mix, soil conditions, and management goals
• Supply of my biologically complete, DNA-tested compost tea or compost extract, selected and adjusted for the plants you are growing (vegetables, perennials, annuals, etc.) - at a discounted price
• Quality assurance through microscopy, so we know what is actually being applied and how it is establishing in the soil over time
• Support with experimental design, interpretation of results, and knowledge-sharing at the end of the project

What this could look like on your farm:

• Trialing a biological product as a partial nitrogen strategy, alongside your existing practices 
• Gathering meaningful soil biology data that you can use long-term
• Participating in a provincially funded project (up to 85% cost-share on eligible expenses, up to $100,000)
• Helping build local, Ontario-based data on biologicals that actually work in our soils and climates

No prior experience with biologicals is required — curiosity, good record-keeping, and a willingness to learn together are the main ingredients.

If this sounds interesting, I’d love to have a conversation to see whether my biological amendment program can be a good fit for your farm. Please feel free to reply directly or reach out with any questions.

Yours in soil studies,

Colleen Dempster, MSc
Soil Ecologist and Owner at Rewild Soils - Soil Biology & Living Amendments
www.rewildsoils.com, @rewild_soils_lab