From soil to success: New Brunswick farm harvests profits with On-Farm Climate Action Fund

Nick Tisdale and his wife Abbie are first-generation farmers in New Brunswick. Through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), they have demonstrated that environmental and economic goals can go hand in hand. By adopting climate-friendly practices, such as cover cropping and nitrogen management, they have reduced their farm’s environmental footprint while reaping the financial benefits. From lower input costs and improved soil health to higher yields, OFCAF has created a win-win scenario for their operation, proving that sustainable farming can be both profitable and impactful.

Nick and Abbie Tisdale started Lakefront Farms in 2012, focusing on growing potatoes, soybeans and oats, with some processing and market sales. Like many farmers across the country, in recent years their farm has experienced challenges due to excessive rainfall, warmer autumns, and drier-than-usual summers, which impacted yields. Through a friend, they discovered the OFCAF program, an initiative under AAFC’s Agricultural Climate Solutions framework. It aims to support farmers in adopting beneficial management practices that store carbon and reduce greenhouse gases, specifically in the areas of nitrogen management and cover cropping practices. Eager to implement these practices, Nick and Abbie applied to the OFCAF program through the New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association (NBSCIA) who serves as the administrator for OFCAF in that province to help farmers adopt these beneficial management practices.

After successfully applying with NBSCIA, they received funding that enabled them to purchase essential equipment to get started and adopt these practices on their farm. “The funding we received from OFCAF allowed us to purchase a vertical tillage implement with an APV seed spreader on top, which made it possible to implement cover cropping and reducing tillage practices on the farm,” Nick explained. They conducted soil testing the year before and after purchasing the equipment to assess soil health and track progress.

They have observed numerous benefits on their farm since adopting these practices. “We’ve seen significant savings, upwards of approximately $10,000 annually.

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