Experimental Acres Program Expanded in 2025, Reaching 265 Acres Across Grey County
Grey County’s 2025 Experimental Acres program supported on-farm climate trials on 265 acres, up from 114 acres in 2024. Staff recommend continued and expanded funding for 2026.
Grey County’s Experimental Acres program continued to grow in 2025, supporting six new on-farm trials and expanding its direct impact to 265 acres of farmland, more than doubling the 114 acres reached in 2024.
A report coming to the County Council’s Agricultural Advisory Committee this week outlines the outcomes of this year’s program, which aims to improve soil health, carbon capture, and farm resilience by funding practical on-the-ground experiments led by local producers.
The program supports the county’s climate action plan, Going Green in Grey, and is coordinated by Grey Agricultural Services. Now in its third year, it has supported 19 projects across more than 440 acres since 2023.
In 2025, participating farms ranged from small fruit-tree and flower-growing operations to large-scale livestock and cash crop enterprises. Project sizes ranged from 0.25 acres to 210 acres, located in Chatsworth, Meaford, Southgate, and West Grey.
Program Goals and Selection Criteria
Experimental Acres offers micro-grants, technical support, and soil testing for producers trialling climate-friendly agricultural practices. Farmers propose their own projects based on specific goals or questions, and are selected based on feasibility, innovation, and alignment with program objectives:
Keeping roots in the ground
Maintaining green cover
Integrating animals into rotation
Reducing mechanical intervention
Increasing biodiversity
Out of 15 applications received in 2025, six projects were selected. Grey Agricultural Services conducted 14 farm visits during the growing season to perform soil infiltration, compaction, and other tests.
The report also notes that two in-person knowledge-sharing events were held in 2025:
A farm tour on September 15 visited three project sites and was attended by 15 producers and program staff.
A networking event on November 3 hosted at Grey Agricultural Services brought together 19 participants to discuss lessons learned.
The program will also be featured at Grey Bruce Farmers Week in January 2026, continuing the emphasis on peer-to-peer learning and practical results.
Comparisons to 2024
The 2025 program marked significant growth in both scale and geographic reach:
Direct acreage doubled, from 114 acres in 2024 to 265 acres in 2025.
Participating municipalities expanded to include Meaford and Southgate, in addition to West Grey and Chatsworth.
While the number of projects (six) remained the same, average project size increased, and coordination focused more heavily on multi-site impact.
In 2024, the program also continued monitoring one 2023 trial and included a larger number of in-season soil visits (22 compared to 14 in 2025). However, the 2025 season placed more emphasis on detailed project reporting and preparing for long-term tracking.
Looking Ahead to 2026
County staff recommend continuing and modestly expanding the program in 2026 to support multi-year trials, enabling better assessment of long-term soil improvement.
A proposed $5,000 increase to the program budget (from $23,000 to $28,000) has been included in the draft 2026 budget. If approved, Grey Agricultural Services would remain the lead coordinator, with a focus on longer-term data collection and supporting more complex trial designs.
Plans for 2026 also include:
Promoting the program through Grey Ag Services’ winter courses
Offering more support to help applicants design effective trials
Continuing regional collaboration with Dufferin and Wellington Counties, which share a common program framework
The full 2025 program update is available in the December 10 Committee agenda under Report CAOR-AAC-19-25.
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