Farmers are all too familiar with the challenges of rising input costs, fluctuating market prices or maintaining soil and crop health. Whether it’s dealing with pH imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, or soaring fertilizer prices, sustainable farming requires forward-thinking solutions.
One such solution gaining popularity among Canadian farmers is the use of crushed wollastonite – a natural calcium silicate mineral that not only supports soil pH and crop yields but also provides long-term savings and environmental benefits.
One of the biggest advantages of wollastonite is its affordability. The UNDO and Canadian Wollastonite Farmer Program covers the supply and spreading of the rock. The only expense to farmers and landowners is trucking – a minimal investment compared to the cost of lime.
Recognizing the value of this scientifically backed approach, the City of Kingston has launched a rebate initiative to help cover trucking costs for local farmers, making it easier to integrate wollastonite as a long-term soil amendment.
What is the Kingston Wollastonite Trucking Rebate?
Farmers within the City of Kingston municipal boundary can take advantage of a rebate for transporting wollastonite to their farms. The rebate offers up to $5 per tonne of wollastonite spread on eligible lands and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
This initiative reduces financial barriers for farmers looking to adopt a sustainable alternative to lime while also contributing to the region’s environmental and agricultural resilience.
“The Kingston Wollastonite Rebate is a new and effective tool that allows us to support our local farmers in accessing soil amendments that improve the health of the land and increase crop yield while creating verifiable, long-term capture of atmospheric CO₂,” said Paul MacLatchy, Environment Director, City of Kingston. “The importance of working to protect our local agricultural sector and sustain the climate that we all rely on can’t be understated.”
Who is Eligible for the Rebate?
Farmers and landowners within the municipal boundary of Kingston who:
- Apply wollastonite within one of the designated rebate periods
- Provide verifiable land parcel details and haulage receipts
- Use wollastonite as a soil amendment within their agricultural operations
By participating in this initiative, farmers gain access to a cost-effective, long-lasting solution for improving soil health while reducing dependency on traditional lime.
Wollastonite: A Natural Alternative to Lime with Co-Benefits
What is Wollastonite?
Wollastonite is a sustainable soil amendment rich in essential micro and macronutrients and sourced locally in Seeley’s Bay by Canadian Wollastonite. It is applied with a standard lime spreader, is suitable for all crops including pasture and has been approved for use in organic farming systems.
Key Benefits of Wollastonite for Farmers
1. Long-Lasting Soil pH Stability
Wollastonite has a liming effect, raising and maintaining the pH of the soil for multiple growing seasons. Unlike traditional lime which quickly adjusts soil pH but wears off within a short time, wollastonite gradually releases alkalinity to keep soil conditions optimal for longer, enhance nutrient uptake and cut input costs.
2. Improved Nutrient Availability
As the rock breaks down, it releases essential nutrients such as calcium, silicon and magnesium, reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers. These improve root growth, support nutrient uptake and ultimately increase yields.
3. Natural Disease and Pest Resistance
Silicon, a key component of wollastonite, is known for reinforcing plant cell walls, making crops less susceptible to pests and fungal infections. Research has shown that silicon-enriched soils contribute to stronger, healthier plants with better natural defenses.
4. Carbon Capture through Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW)
One of the unique environmental benefits of wollastonite is its ability to capture and store carbon dioxide through a natural process called enhanced rock weathering (ERW). This process helps permanently remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, supporting global climate goals while improving soil health.
The Nutrient Composition of Wollastonite
| Nutrient | Symbol | Content (%) | |
| Macronutrients | Calcium | CaO | 24.6 |
| Silicon | SiO2 | 59.2 | |
| Magnesium | MgO | 5.76 | |
| Major Nutrients | Sulphur | SO3 | 1.6 |
| Potassium | K2O | 0.9 | |
| Iron | Fe2O3 | 2.6 | |
| Sodium | NaO | 1.8 | |
| Micronutrients | Manganese | MnO | 0.05 |
*Amount applied based on an application of 2 tonnes per acre
The Role of Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) in Agriculture
ERW is a nature-based climate solution that accelerates the natural process of rock weathering, in which silicate minerals absorb carbon dioxide from the air and permanently store it in stable carbonate forms. This improves soil structure while locking away CO₂ for thousands of years.
By applying finely crushed wollastonite to farmland, farmers can enhance soil productivity while making agriculture part of the solution to climate change.
The UNDO and Canadian Wollastonite Farmer Program: Making ERW Accessible
Alongside the Kingston Rebate, farmers can benefit from the UNDO and Canadian Wollastonite Farmer Program, which provides wollastonite at no cost aside from trucking expenses.
How the Program Works
1. Eligibility Check – Farmers within 150 km of Seeley’s Bay with soil pH levels between 6-7 are ideal candidates.
2. Agree Spreading Area – A minimum of 80 tonnes (covering 20-40 acres) is preferred. Application rates typically range from 2-4 tonnes per acre.
3. Material Supply and Spreading – Canadian Wollastonite supplies and spreads wollastonite for free, with farmers only covering trucking costs.
4. Apply for the Kingston Rebate – Farmers submit their trucking receipts and verification details to receive up to $5 per tonne in transport rebates.
5. Long-Term Soil Benefits – Farmers see stronger crops, healthier soils, and reduced reliance on synthetic inputs over multiple growing seasons.
Scaling Sustainable Agriculture Through Smart Initiatives
The Kingston Wollastonite Rebate and the UNDO and Canadian Wollastonite Farmer Program represent a major step toward making sustainable soil solutions more accessible and cost-effective. By supporting farmers in adopting wollastonite as an alternative to lime, these initiatives contribute to:
- Healthier, more resilient soils
- Lower input costs for farmers
- Improved carbon sequestration through ERW
- Stronger, more productive crop yields
With funding available on a first-come, first-served basis, farmers in Kingston have a unique opportunity to take advantage of this initiative before the budget is exhausted. Visit www.un-do.com/canada or email hello@un-do.com.
Media Contacts:
Jo Spindler,
Head of Brand & Marketing
jo@un-do.com
About UNDO
UNDO is a pioneering nature-based carbon dioxide removal company with an ambition to remove over one billion tonnes of atmospheric CO₂ in accessible, affordable, nature-friendly ways. Since 2022, UNDO has worked at the cutting edge of science alongside experts in the climate, carbon and agricultural sectors to develop an enhanced rock weathering technology which accelerates natural weathering processes to remove carbon from the atmosphere while bringing soil and crop benefits to agricultural communities. The UNDO operational, scientific and technical model leverages existing infrastructure, with a carbon efficiency of greater than 90 percent, allowing UNDO to quickly scale operations whilst offering carbon removal at competitive prices.
About enhanced rock weathering (ERW)
Enhanced rock weathering is the acceleration of natural rock weathering, whereby the CO₂ in rainwater interacts with silicate rocks (e.g. wollastonite), mineralises and is safely stored as solid carbon for hundreds of thousands of years. To speed up this natural geological process, UNDO spreads crushed rock, sourced from the mining and quarrying industry, on agricultural land. As this mineral-rich rock breaks down, it releases nutrients, raises and stabilises soil pH, and increases crop yield. The IPCC 2022 Mitigation of Climate Change report suggests that enhanced rock weathering, if scaled, could remove up to 4 billion tonnes of CO₂ per year – equivalent to 40% of CO₂ removal targets.
