100% Free to All Ontario Farmers
The Farmland Health Check-Up is funded through the Government of Ontario and is available at absolutely no cost to any active agricultural producer in the province. There is no income threshold, no minimum acreage requirement, no commodity restriction, and no environmental compliance prerequisite. If you farm in Ontario, you qualify.
Key Takeaway: This program exists because the Ontario government recognizes that soil degradation is an economic issue — degraded soils cost farmers money through reduced yields, increased input requirements, and decreased resilience to weather extremes.
By providing free access to professional agronomic assessment, the program helps Ontario farmers identify and address the factors that are limiting their profitability.
Who Benefits Most
While every Ontario farm can benefit from a Farmland Health Check-Up, the program delivers the greatest value to operations that are experiencing one or more of the following conditions:
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Significant yield variability between fields — If your best corn field consistently produces 200+ bu/ac while another field struggles to reach 160, the FHCU can diagnose why. This is exactly what the 3-field comparison system is designed to identify.
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Yields that have plateaued despite improved genetics and fertility — When above-ground management is sound but yields aren't responding, the limiting factors are almost always below the surface.
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Fields with known drainage or compaction concerns — The FHCU quantifies the severity and provides remediation strategies specific to your soil type and landscape.
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Recently acquired or rented land — New land often comes with unknown management history. The FHCU establishes a baseline understanding of soil condition.
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Operations transitioning tillage or rotation systems — If you're considering no-till, minimum till, or adding cover crops, the FHCU identifies whether your soil is ready for the transition and what preparatory steps may be needed.
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Farms planning drainage or other infrastructure investments — Before spending $800–1,200/acre on systematic tile drainage, the FHCU ensures you're addressing the right problem and helps prioritize which fields will deliver the greatest return on investment.
What This Means on Your Farm
Whether you're a third-generation operator who has farmed the same land for decades or a new entrant who recently acquired your first property, the FHCU provides valuable diagnostic information that helps you farm smarter and more profitably.
Commodity Coverage
The FHCU is applicable to all Ontario field crop operations, including but not limited to:
Grain corn, seed corn, and silage corn
Soybeans (conventional and IP)
Winter wheat, spring wheat, and spring cereals
Forage production (alfalfa, timothy, mixed hay)
Canola, dry beans, and other oilseeds
Livestock operations with associated cropland
Mixed farming operations
The assessment framework is designed to accommodate the full range of Ontario cropping systems — from continuous corn operations in southwestern Ontario's clay plains to mixed grain-forage rotations in eastern Ontario's till plains. Whether you're managing 100 acres or 5,000, the diagnostic approach applies equally.
The Ontario Context
Ontario's agricultural soils are unique. They developed on glacial deposits left by retreating ice sheets approximately 12,000 years ago. Advancing glaciers ground bedrock into fine particles, mixed existing materials, and transported them across the landscape. Retreating glaciers dropped unsorted materials (till), while meltwaters deposited sorted sands and gravels. Glacial lakes laid down flat beds of silt and clay. Wind further redistributed materials across bare post-glacial landscapes.
Local Expertise
Your assigned CCA advisor will have familiarity with the dominant soil types, cropping systems, and management challenges specific to your region. The assessment uses Ontario county soil survey data, localized yield averages, and region-specific BMP recommendations.
No Prerequisites Required
You do not need:
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An Environmental Farm Plan (though having a current 4th Edition EFP is beneficial for potential cost-share applications)
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A current Nutrient Management Plan or Strategy
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Membership in any farm organization
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Previous soil testing results (though existing data is helpful)
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Any minimum years of farming experience
How to Get Started
Booking your Farmland Health Check-Up is straightforward. Simply contact us directly, and we'll schedule a convenient time to visit your farm. Before the visit, you'll be asked to identify three fields for assessment: one that you consider high-performing and two that you believe are underperforming relative to their potential.
