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On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF)

Cows in Field

Lakeland College and Olds College of Agriculture & Technology have collaborated to deliver industry-recognized, microcredentials covering Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) in three areas for Professional Agrologists and Certified Crop Advisors. 

The courses are aligned with the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF), a program to support farmers in adopting beneficial management practices (BMPs) that store carbon and reduce greenhouse gases, while increasing the sustainability, efficiency, and resiliency of their farming operations.

Cost: $200 per microcredential

Delivery: Online

Dates: 2nd Wednesday of each month

Length: Each course will take approximately 10 hours to complete. Participants will have 2 months to complete the work. 

The Sustainable Agriculture Digital Badge includes the following microcredentials:

Cover Cropping

Cost: $200
Delivery: Online
Dates: 2nd Wednesday of each month
Length: Approximately 10 hours. Participants have 2 months to complete the work. 


This course focuses on using Climate Smart Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) for Cover Cropping for Grain Crop and Livestock Production Systems. This is intended to certify certain requirements, such as identifying BMPs and their specific goals as well as implementations, monitoring and outcomes of BMPs via the integration of cover cropping into grain and livestock production systems. The training modules developed are directed to the following groups in Alberta:

  • Practicing agronomists
  • Certified crop advisors
  • Crop advisors in training
  • Trainers and extension agents

Course Outcomes

  • Explain the application of cover cropping techniques in agriculture.
  • Identify the benefits and challenges of cover cropping.
  • Outline beneficial management practices in cover cropping to mitigate the impact on carbon footprint and greenhouse gas omissions.
  • Discuss how cover cropping BMPs impacts farm climate actions.

Course Structure The course will consist of 5 modules, with both crop and livestock components, for approximately 10-12 hours duration in total:
1. Introduction to Climate Smart Agriculture Production
2. Using Cover Crops to Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change
3. Multiple-Species Mixtures: Best Management Practices
4. Climate Smart Agricultural Beneficial Management Practices for Livestock Production
5. Important Considerations for Best Management Practices for Cover Crop Establishment
6. Climate Smart Agricultural Beneficial Management Practices for Crop Production

Nitrogen Management

Cost: $200
Delivery: Online
Dates: 2nd Wednesday of each month
Length: Approximately 10 hours. Participants have 2 months to complete the work. 

In this course, professionals will demonstrate an understanding of how to expand the adoption of Best Management Practices (BMPS) in Nitrogen Management to reduce carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions which will qualify them to work with farmers to receive OCAF funding.

Course Outcomes:

  • Explain nitrogen management in agriculture.
  • Identify the benefits and challenges of nitrogen management.
  • Outline beneficial management practices in nitrogen management to mitigate the impact on carbon footprint and greenhouse gas omissions.
  • Discuss how nitrogen BMP's impact farm climate action.

Course Structure:
The course will consist of 3 modules, with both crop and livestock components, for approximately 10-12 hours duration in total:
1. Introduction to Fundamentals of Nitrogen Management
2. Benefits and Challenges to Nitrogen Management Adoption
3. Beneficial Management Practices of Nitrogen Management

Rotational Grazing

Cost: $200
Delivery: Online
Dates: 2nd Wednesday of each month
Length: Approximately 10-12 hours. Participants have 2 months to complete the work. 

In this course, professionals will demonstrate an understanding of how to expand the adoption of Best Management Practices (BMPS) in rotational grazing to reduce carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions which will quality them to work with farmers to receive OCAF funding. The training modules developed are directed to the following groups in Alberta:

  • Practicing agronomists
  • Certified crop advisors
  • Crop advisors in training
  • Trainers and extension agents

Course Outcomes:

  • Explain the application of rotational grazing in Western Canada agriculture.
  • Identify the benefits and challenges of rotational grazing.
  • Outline beneficial management practices in rotational grazing to mitigate the impact on carbon footprint and greenhouse gas omissions.
  • Discuss how rotational grazing BMP's improves farm climate action.

Course Structure:
The course will consist of four modules, with both crop and livestock components, for approximately 10-12 hours duration in total:
1. Fundamentals of Rotational Grazing
2. Benefits of Rotational Grazing
3. Challenges to Rotational Grazing
4. Beneficial Management Practices for Rotational Grazing

Do you need more information?

A microcredential is a certification of assessed competencies that is additional, alternate, complementary to, or a component of a formal qualification.