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
Grain Bin Emergencies Turn Deadly in Seconds, but Training Can Save Lives Thursday, May 7, 2026 Would you know what to do if someone you loved was trapped in a grain bin? The reality is sobering. Compared to a flowing mass of grain, a person is only several bushels in volume. When grain begins moving, escape becomes nearly impossible. In most cases of full grain engulfment,... Read this article online
Applications open for GFO 2026 Legacy Scholarship Thursday, May 7, 2026 Applications are now open for the 2026 Grain Farmers of Ontario , an annual program designed to support students pursuing post‑secondary education that contributes to the future of the province’s grain and agri‑food industries. Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) represents 28,000... Read this article online
Farmland Rents Lag Land Values Thursday, May 7, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has released a new economic analysis highlighting a growing gap between farmland values and rental rates across the country, a trend that will likely reshape expansion decisions for Canadian producers. According to the analysis, Canada’s average farmland... Read this article online
How to Keep Your Groundwater Safe and Clean Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Groundwater plays a vital role for families and businesses in rural and agricultural settings. It supports essential activities such as livestock care, irrigation, and cleaning processes, and in many areas, it's the sole source of drinking water. For this reason, it's critical for rural... Read this article online
Rising Waters on the Canadian Prairies and Beyond Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Spring flooding is intensifying across large portions of Canada, placing farms under growing pressure during one of the most important windows of the agricultural year. From the Prairies to Central Canada and into Atlantic regions, saturated soils, elevated rivers, and damaged rural... Read this article online