Assurance Systems Program 2013-2018 PROGRAM GUIDELINES
Assurance Systems Program 2013-2018 GUIDELINES Objective: To accelerate the adoption and implementation of recognized assurance systems, including food safety, traceability, biosecurity and animal welfare in the production, processing, transportation and distribution of New Brunswick agri-food products. Eligible Applicants: New Brunswick producers, processors, abattoir owners, commodity or other agricultural and agri-food organizations. Contribution Limits: Maximum assistance is $50,000 over the life of the program for all applicants. Maximum assistance, for individual business applicants, not to exceed $10,000 per year except for element A (iii) which can be up to $50,000 in one year. A Food Safety and Quality Systems A (i) Implementation of On-Farm Food Safety Programs This element will provide support to facilitate the implementation of On-Farm Food Safety Programs by producers. Eligible activities: Training and awareness activities such as seminars, workshops, conferences, and short courses, coordination, counselling, analysis of systems, and pre-audit evaluation of individual participants in food safety programs, the initial audit of participating producers, and specified equipment integral to implementing recognized on-farm food safety programs and/or quality improvements. Equipment Purchase: Up to 50 % of eligible activities. Auditing: Up to 70 % of cost of initial audit. Other Eligible Activities: Up to 70% of eligible activities for individuals, or up to 100 % of eligible activities, for projects which benefit a sector as a whole. Page 2 of 6
A (ii) Post-Farm Agri-Food Safety Training & Development This program will provide assistance to agri-food processors, including abattoir owners, for the development and implementation of improved food safety process control systems, including HACCP based systems. Up to70 % of eligible activities, or up to 100 % for projects which benefit a sector as a whole. Groups are limited to $20,000 per year. Higher levels may be considered where significant benefit back to the sector as a whole can be strongly demonstrated. A (iii) Implementation of Post-Farm Food Safety Programs This program will assist New Brunswick abattoir owners and other processors implement improvements in equipment and/or minor infrastructure to enhance food safety, quality or to participate in recognized food safety process control systems and/or inspection programs. Eligible Activities: Implementation of improvements in facilities to enhance food safety or participate in a recognized food safety process control system or inspection program. Up to 70 % of eligible activities. Higher levels of assistance may be considered where strong rationale and significant strategic benefit back to the sector as a whole can be demonstrated. B Development and Implementation of a National Agriculture and Food Traceability System (NAFTS) To contribute to the development and implementation of a National Agriculture and Food Traceability System (NAFTS), by facilitating the participation of the New Brunswick agriculture and food sector in recognized traceability initiatives. B(i) Equipment and Systems This element will provide assistance to facilitate participation in a NAFTS. Eligible Activities: Purchase and installation of equipment necessary to implement traceability systems, including animal/product handling systems, training, data recording, tracking and handling systems. Up to 50 % of eligible equipment costs. Up to 100 % of eligible activities for group activities benefiting a sector. Page 3 of 6
B (ii) Traceability Pilot Projects The Province will facilitate participation in NAFTS by funding pilot projects which demonstrate and/or pilot traceability systems. Eligible Activities: Purchase and installation of equipment necessary to demonstrate traceability systems, including animal/product handling systems, training, data recording and handling systems, counselling and coordination. Up to 70 % of eligible activities for individuals, or up to 100 % for group activities benefiting a sector as a whole. Higher levels of assistance may be considered where strong rationale and significant strategic benefit back to the sector as a whole can be demonstrated. C Biosecurity Implementation This element will provide assistance to provincial commodity organizations and producers to raise the awareness of and to implement on-farm bio-security programs and measures. Eligible Activities: Training and awareness activities such as seminars, workshops, conferences and short courses; Purchase and installation of equipment necessary to implement biosecurity programs and measures. Equipment Purchase: Up to 50 % of eligible equipment costs. Other activities: Up to 70 % of eligible activities for individuals, or up to 100 % for projects which benefit a sector as a whole. D Animal Welfare Assurance Systems This element will provide support to New Brunswick producers, commodity and agrifood organizations in facilitating the implementation of Animal Welfare Programs by industry. Page 4 of 6
Eligible activities: Training and awareness activities including outreach, seminars, workshops, conferences, and short courses relating to recognized animal welfare codes of practice and humane treatment of animals; development of plans and implementation of corrective actions, and auditing. Up to 70 % of eligible training and awareness activities, or up to 100 % for activities which benefit a sector as a whole. 70 % of the cost of developing a plan. 70 % of the cost for an initial audit. 50 % of the cost of equipment and/or infrastructure changes required to implement recognized codes of practice. Administration Program Duration: The Assurance Systems Program will operate from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2018, unless otherwise announced. Submitted projects must demonstrate capability of achieving desired results within the program timeframe. Project approvals are based on an approval within one fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) only. Multi-year projects are based on approval within one fiscal year, must be resubmitted for approval each year and are subject to satisfactory progress in the preceding year(s). Application Process: Clients are responsible to submit an application under Growing Forward 2 (GF2), together with any required supporting documents (project details, cost information and consultants quotes/estimates), to any Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries (DAAF) regional office or directly to the Growing Forward Administrator, Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1, or by e-mail to GFCA.admin@gnb.ca. Upon project decision, the applicant will be notified in writing. A Project Officer will be appointed for each project to ensure applicable financial and administrative procedures; timelines and reporting requirement are followed. Costs incurred prior to the date as specified in the written project letter of offer will not be eligible. Applicant Responsibilities: It is expected that successful applicants will administer the contribution to their project, and that adequate financial and administrative procedures are in place. If adequate financial and administrative procedures are not available, the applicant must involve another capable organization in the project and its administration. If no acceptable organization can be found, the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries may administer the funds upon the request of the client. If approved, Page 5 of 6
administration charges shall not exceed 10% of the approved contribution and are based on actual project funds administered by the applicant. The eligible administration costs are based on those expenses invoiced to and paid directly by the applicant and claimed as eligible expenses through the project. The Applicant must agree to provide access to records and/or premises to staff of DAAF and persons authorized by DAAF for inspection, evaluation, demonstration, audit and public information purposes upon request; provide DAAF any necessary information related to the evaluation of the project and demonstrate a significant contribution to the project. Advances: Upon request, advances may be provided to the successful applicant. Initial advances on project costs may be obtained for up to 50% of the approved project amount. Dependent upon the nature of the project, a subsequent advance for up to 50% of the remaining approved project amount may be provided once a claim for the initial advance has been processed and the project officer has certified that project activities are meeting their projected targets. Submission of Claim: Upon project completion, the completed Claim for Reimbursement must be forwarded to the designated Project Officer. The Claim for Reimbursement must be submitted together with the original detailed invoice (a copy of the original detailed invoice may also be accepted if signed by the vendor) and proof of payment which may include either an original paid in-full invoice signed by vendor, an original receipt or a cancelled cheque. Travel costs are not to exceed New Brunswick provincial government rates as prescribed in the provincial Travel Directive. The non-recoverable portions of HST may be an eligible expense if included within the approved budget. Project Reporting: If required, applicants are required to submit an interim report for multi-year projects and a final report following project completion. Final reports must be submitted no later than forty-five (45) days after the approved project completion date. A portion of the approved funding may be held back until the required final report, satisfactory to the project officer, has been submitted and is complete. Failure to submit an acceptable final and/or summary report may affect funding approval decisions for future projects. Unless otherwise specified in a written agreement between the Applicants, the results from the project may be published. The Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries, reserves the right to terminate this program or to modify these Guidelines at any time without notice. Page 6 of 6