Government Improves Agriculture Cash Advance Program for 2015

Producers to benefit from reduced red tape, ease of access, and flexible repayment options

On March 20, 2015, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz highlighted major enhancements to the Advance Payments Program (APP) designed to improve and streamline administration, provide
greater flexibility and more repayment options, and ease access to the program for
producers.

On February 27, 2015, the Government announced the coming into force of the Agricultural
Growth Act which makes improvements to the Advance Payments Program (APP). The Act
modernizes and strengthens federal agriculture legislation, supports innovation in the
Canadian agriculture industry and enhances global market opportunities.

Many of the changes implemented under the Act will take effect on April 1, 2015, for the 2015
Program Year, in time to help producers plan for the new production year. The new Act also
allows for further improvements to be implemented once amendments to the related
regulations are completed.

Quick facts:
The APP is a federal loan guarantee program that helps agricultural producers benefit
from the best market conditions by improving their cash flow throughout the year.
Starting April 1, producers can now request advances for all their commodities through
one application with a single administrator, significantly reducing their paper burden.
In addition, there is no longer a requirement for a farmer to be principally occupied in
farming in order to utilize APP.

Across Canada, more than $1.9 billion in advances has been provided to close to
21,000 producers for the 2014 program year to date.

For a full list of improvements, please visit the Advance Payments Program’s website here.

Quotes:
“Our Government remains committed to supporting Canada’s producers and our world-class
agriculture industry to ensure it remains competitive on world markets. We’ve improved the
Advance Payments Program to give farmers a more flexible tool to manage their cash flow,
while cutting red tape and improving efficiency.”
– Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz

“The Advance Payments Program is a valuable marketing and cash flow management tool
for farmers. Our organization is continually looking for opportunities to enhance producer
prosperity, so improvements that make this program more accessible and easier for farmers
to use are welcomed news.”
– Dale Leftwich, President of SaskCanola

“The cash advance program is a tool that can help Canadian cattle producers to market their
cattle when they see the best opportunities. The changes in C-18 make it more user friendly
for producers across Canada. I urge cattle producers to evaluate all their business risk
options including the cash advance, price insurance and AgriStability. These tools can help
producers to maximize the opportunities and manage some of the risks the current market
provides.” – Dave Solverson, President of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

More Information:
Minister Ritz announces Royal Assent of Agricultural Growth Act, 27 February, 2015
Advance Payments Program

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