Yukon farmers and food producers received a bump from the federal and Yukon governments Thursday.

Announced at the first Fireweed Community Market of the year, the more than $7- million investment over the next five years will help local producers down the path of “continued innovation, growth and sustainability,” a release said.

Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Ranj Pillai was joined by federal MP Larry Bagnell at the market.

The $7.4 million in funding, which will take the territory into 2023, is expected to allow farms, markets and retailers apply to about 15 programs.

Among those listed on a funding application form are: market development, wildlife damage prevention, food safety and agriculture awareness programs.

“The industry is really on the move,” Bagnell said, referring to the more than $4 million agriculture brings in to the territory’s economy, along with local jobs.

Noting summer is just around the corner, Bagnell continued this was a good time for the announcement.

The minister added that programs had been “fine-tuned” for Yukoners.

One of the farmers the funding could help is Bart Bounds, the owner and operator of Elemental Farms. The site has grown to include his partner, Kate Mechan, and their two children since being created in 2012.

Located just outside of Whitehorse, Elemental provides greens like peas, broccoli and tomatoes, as well as naturally-fed pigs and chickens.

Though his farm hasn’t accessed a lot of funding to date – save for marketing purposes like setting up a website – he said he’s happy to see it made available for farms that do want it.

“We tend to try to do it ourselves before we access funding,” he continued, crediting local events like the market for increasing Elemental’s business.

“Without the market, I don’t think we would’ve made it as a farm, honestly.”

Bounds did add that his farm hopes to upgrade some existing equipment, including a wash station.

“We have one now but it’d be nice to have a nicer one,” he laughed.

Meanwhile, farms and organizations can begin applying for funding through the Department of Agriculture’s website.

Thursday afternoon’s announcement falls under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), a $3-billion federal commitment, and saw the territorial and federal governments sign a bilateral agreement in late March.

A programming guide to the CAP’s funding process lists that producers, processors and retailers must be able to host commercial sales and “demonstrate commercial viability by 2023.”

It also notes that it does not fund “normal and on-going operating and maintenance costs,” nor does it allow for the purchase of things like cameras, smartphones, trucks and trailers.

Applications are reviewed monthly, and the submission deadline is the first Friday of each month.