And 

The Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust, a non-profit, community based, charitable society whose mission is to promote the preservation of farmland and associated wildlife habitat in the Fraser River delta through sustainable farming and land stewardship (referred to hereafter as "DFWT")

Whereas: The Cooperator and DFWT have agreed to cost share the establishment of spring cereals for the purpose of soil conservation and wildlife habitat enhancement in the Municipality of Delta, in the Province of British Columbia. Spring-seeded cereals have the ability to re-establish as winter cover crops when residual seed is adequately re-distributed after the summer harvest. In order to ensure uniform establishment of residual grain cover crops, the combine should be mounted with a chaff spreader or hay should be tedded, and one tillage pass should be made after harvest.

 

The Cooperator Will:

1) Establish a cover crop in the current program year by re-spreading residual seed and undertaking associated management activities to ensure uniform cover after cereal harvest within the fields identified in this agreement. The cooperator will return this form to the DFWT office by October 1, 2023.

2) Ensure cereal crop is harvested no later than October 1, 2023.

3) Ensure residual grain and straw is evenly re-spread after harvest by either using a chaff spreader or tedding straw if baling for hay.

4) Complete one tillage pass after harvest.

5) Ensure that any top-kill, mowing. disking, or plough down of the field does not occur before March 31, 2024 without notification and approval by DFWT. Please advise the DFWT office if you plan on undertaking any field management activities between October 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024.

6) Allow DFWT to monitor fields for wildlife use from October 15, 2023 to March 31, 2024.

7) Indemnify and save harmless DFWT from and against any and all actions, suits, claims, demands, damages or losses, howsoever arising as a result of the establishment and operation of the Cereal Habitat Enhancement Program.

 

The Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust Will:

1) Share the cost of establishing cereal residual cover crops within the City of Delta, BC by paying $50/acre for grain cover crops planted under the guidelines of the DFWT Cereal Enhancement arm of the Winter Cover Crop Program.

2) Reduce the reimbursement by the same percentage for all acreage applied for in the event that applications received by October 1, 2023, exceed available funds for the program.

3) Make payment in winter 2023, after all agreements have been received with completed information and signatures from the Cooperator and after the DFWT has had the opportunity to verify all the acreage applied for.