Ontario beef farmers receive extension for repaying federal advance payment loans Tuesday, May 13, 2014 by JIM ALGIE Recent adjustments to extend the repayment period for federal advance payment loans should help Ontario cattle farmers, a recent Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) newsletter says. Administered by the Guelph-based, Agricultural Credit Corporation, the federal advance payments program provides growers with up to $400,000 in operating capital. The first $100,000 of such loans is free of interest cost with the remaining balance up to $300,000 at bank prime rates. Changes announced March 19 include a single, stream-lined, application process, quicker approvals and new repayment rules for cattle farmers with constant inventory. A BFO newsletter published last Friday says “advances can now be repaid up to a year after issuance rather than upon the sale of cattle.” The changes followed recommendations by BFO, said the newsletter article that was attributed to that organization’s communications manager LeaAnne Wuermli. It means farmers “can realize more savings by extending their interest-free portion of the loan to a full year versus paying back on their first sales of cattle,” the newsletter says. The program for cattle farmers opens annually, April 1, and remains open to applications between April and the following March. Loans are available on current inventory held for sale during the current program year. Advance loans for livestock require that borrowers be enrolled in the federal Agristability program which provides insurance against large margin declines. Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC) is a not-for-profit farm organization formed in 1992 by a coalition of farm organizations now including 19 producer groups. Since it began, the corporation has loaned more than $4 billion to Canadian farmers, a statement on the ACC website says. BF Few details available about impact on Ontario farmers of most recent food processing plant closure Projects receive Greenbelt funding
Minnesota Wildfires Threaten Agriculture as Governor Walz Mobilizes National Guard Friday, July 17, 2026 Farmers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario and Manitoba are closely monitoring a growing wildfire situation in northern Minnesota after Governor Tim Walz declared a peacetime emergency and mobilized the Minnesota National Guard to assist firefighting efforts. The decision... Read this article online
Woodland Mills Expands Portable Sawmill Capacity Friday, July 17, 2026 Woodland Mills has introduced the HM126MAX Portable Sawmill, a new machine designed to provide greater cutting capacity and improved lumber production for customers. The latest model builds on the success of a long-standing portable sawmill platform while offering enhanced performance and... Read this article online
Asian Vegetables Like Bok Choy Grown Right Here in Ontario Friday, July 17, 2026 When you think of vegetables grown in Ontario, do you think of ethic vegetables? Also known as pak choy or Chinese cabbage, bok choy has become an increasingly important crop for Ontario's vegetable industry, driven by growing consumer demand for fresh, locally produced ethnic... Read this article online
Survey aims to amplify voices of rural Ontarians Friday, July 17, 2026 New surveys for rural Ontarians are helping people in these communities paint a comprehensive picture of what life is like. “For too long, rural communities have lacked access to reliable, credible and reflective data,” Leith Deacon, a professor at University of Guelph’s School of... Read this article online
Wildfire Smoke Over Ontario--What Farmers Need to Know Thursday, July 16, 2026 Ontario farmers are becoming increasingly familiar with hazy skies as wildfire smoke drifts across the province. While much of the public focus remains on human health and visibility, the agricultural impacts are also drawing attention as smoke affects crop development, livestock... Read this article online