Category Archives: Farm Grants

Government Assistance for Oyster Farmers

Oct 19th 2015 -MONCTON, NB

The federal and New Brunswick invest $ 1.2 million to help seven oyster producers.

Oyster farming is, by definition, green and sustainable. Oysters cannot tolerate the discharge of sewage or other toxins; the presence of oyster farming, therefore, often results in increased awareness and monitoring of coastal waters. In addition to being important modulators of nutrient cycles in ecological systems, farmed oysters help to reduce greenhouse gases by removing carbon dioxide from the ocean for shell formation.

The seven companies to get money are Acadian Bay Enterprises Inc. in Sainte-Anne -de- Kent, Cape Oysters Ltd. Dieppe, Aquador Oysters Inc. Aldouane, R & D Shellfish Ltd. in Cocagne, King Aquaculture Inc. -Village in Richibucto, Bouctouche Mauril Bastarache and Oyster Farm Ltd. Norm -Village in Richibucto.

The province spends just over $ 377,000 through the Development Fund and the Miramichi Regional Economic Innovation, while the federal government provides repayable contributions worth about $ 893,000 by the Atlantic Opportunities Agency.

The money will be used to expand operations, increase sales and improve productivity.
In 2013, production of New Brunswick oysters were valued at over $ 5.6 million.

Tractors & Machinery Ag-Safety Fund Recipients Announced.

October 15th, 2015 – Winnipeg, Manitoba –

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) in partnership with Farm Credit Canada, has announced that more than $ 100,000 has been awarded to help improve training for tractors and machinery throughout Canada.

The Ag Safety Fund  has provided charitable and nonprofit financial support to offer training programs based from the security and agricultural community since 2010. Previous projects have ranged from training for producers of Christmas trees in Nova Scotia that support bear-human conflict awareness training in Alberta. In this, the fifth year of Ag Safety Fund FCC, training efforts have been reduced to focus on the tractor and machinery training.

“Our commitment to helping our customers succeed starts with the basics – to help them and their families stay safe while working in the operation of the farm or agribusiness,” said Sophie Perreault, FCC Executive Vice President and Chief operations. “We are excited to partner with CASA to help make this a reality through Ag Safety Fund FCC.”

Marcel Hacault is the Executive Director of CASA. He says the community-based training is effective and important in the creation of safer farming practices. “The community-based Ag Safety Fund FCC approach addresses the needs of farmers at the grassroots level, creating more buy-in and ownership of safer behaviour,” he says. “CASA recognizes the importance of farm safety initiatives based on the community and is committed to creating safer for all Canadian farmers agricultural environments.”

The beneficiaries of the FCC Ag Safety Fund 2015-2016 include Quebec 4-H, L’Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), Farm Safety Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture, University of Manitoba, Wild Blueberry New Scotland, The Canadian Centre for Health Association (FARSHA), Manitoba 4-H Council Safety and Health in Agriculture, New Brunswick Young Farmers Forum Inc., Farm and Ranch and Security, and Canadian farmers with Disabilities Registry. 11 organizations receive support from the Fund FCC Ag Safety in seven provinces.

FCC is a long time supporter of CASA and farm safety initiatives. FCC has long supported the annual conference of CASA and Ag Safety Fund FCC. Last year, the FCC partnered with CASA and the Rick Hansen Foundation to launch Back to Ag, a program designed for farmers injured back to doing what they love – agriculture. This year, FCC is a sponsor of the Week of Canadian Agricultural Safety.

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, their families and agricultural workers.

FCC is the main lender of Agriculture Canada, with a healthy portfolio of more than $ 27.3 billion and 21 consecutive years of portfolio growth.

2015 Opportunities for Rural Businesses and Farmers

It’s important for any resource provider that  deals with funding programs and information for rural businesses to acknowledge the unique challenges and opportunities faced by and provided by the sector.

Some of the credit challenges specific to the small and medium size businesses that are typical in rural Canada include:

  • Potential lenders do not have the same understanding of the business details as borrowers.
  • Lack of established relationship with banks
  • Small business size
  • Principal/agency problems
  • Lack of management skills of business owner and poor business plan
  • Lack of a track record and collateral
  • Conservative nature of financial markets in general.

Rural businesses do provide unique opportunities as well:

  • Costs of operation can be lower due to lower due to lower occupancy costs and a pool or rural labour.
  • Businesses can often function in synergy with other local businesses.
  • An opportunity exists for lenders to develop personal relationships and evaluations of  borrowers.
  • Successful businesses in rural areas can have a multiplicative effect on other local businesses.

The Canadian Government has many funding programs available to farmers and other rural business owners that recognize these unique challenges and opportunites.

In order to capitalize on the opportunities for Canadian agricultural grants farmers are encouraged to contact The Canadian Grants Business Center, an organization that provides information on various funding programs for small businesses, including farms.

Canadian Agricultural Grants

 

The Canadian government has implemented a framework of Canadian agricultural grants and loans designed to encourage and support Canadian agricultural endeavours, like farming and agri-processing businesses.

In order to capitalize on the opportunities for Canadian agricultural grants farmers are encouraged to contact The Canadian Grants Business Center, an organization that provides information on various funding programs for small businesses, including farms.

It is important to remember that as a farm, a business is at distinct advantage to take advantage of the maximum number of programs available to subsidize Canadian businesses. Programs created for farms and agricultural businesses can be supplemented with programs aimed at general small businesses.

Remember that when applying for Canadian agricultural grants, to keep the following principle as a guide: Apply early and often.

This is truly the key to success in obtaining any sort of government funding and government grants for your project, whatever it may be.

Startup funding with Farm Grants

Farming like any other business, comes with a long list of challenges and lots of expenses when you start off in the beginning. Most farm owners turn to Government grants and loans programs to start up their farming business, rather than just getting loans and being stuck with repaying back the loan with interest, since farm grants do not need to be repaid.

Applicants must complete specific forms for the farm grants that meets their needs as there are different types of funding for farmers available. Below we will discuss a few different farm grant funding opportunities:

Farm Grants for Start-ups

Farm owners can find training, education and ready for technical assistance help to start up the farming business. Grants can also pay for activities, such as a marketing and land program.

Farm labour housing

One of the many challenges starting and operating a farm is to find good people to help and run a farm. Farm grants for rural development provide grants to buy, build and renovate and repair labor housing for farm owners. Through farm labour housing grants and loan programs, the eligible applicants must be a single individual farmer owner.

Environmental incentives

A conventional farm producer can receive funding if they decide to switch to organic farming that encompass the environmental quality incentives program. Options are also open to certified organic farmers that want to expand their growing and operation aspects.

Provinces and municipalities government grants

There are farm grants targeted to young farmers. They can receive funding to pay for operating cost, livestock, feed, or any other basic expense needed to start up their own farm. A lot of different government offices also provide financial aid. People trying to start up farms can contact http://www.canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com/Funding-Finder.html, to find out what government grants and loans or any other assistance that they can provide and apply for.

Farming Grants & Farming Loans Update 2015

Grants for purchasing farm land

There are a limited number of provincial and federal programs that offer grants and loans to purchase land for farming. The majority of these grant & funding programs available provide funds to government related agencies and private entities, such as colleges and universities for research and development. However there are certain grant programs that contain clauses that allow grantee’s to make sub-grants to ranchers and farmers. To purchase new farms or expand existing land holdings Ranchers and farmers can receive funding through loan or grant programs provided by the Canadian government.

Funding Initiatives

Many Canadian national institutes have multiple grant and loan programs to fund initiatives related to food security, farm pest management, biotechnology and nutrition. These development programs help and support farmers and ranchers to start up within the above mentioned initiatives . These programs extend eligibility to post secondary and other educational institutes from the provincial or federal governments. Grantee’s can use these funds to help ranchers and farmers to purchase land that meet all environment compliances. The provincial and federal government have budgets allocated to this sector, but do not have any information and the amounts available to individuals.

Organic farm grants

Government grants and loans offer financial assistance to support organic farms that are run by women. These programs encourage women to hand in more proposals to focus on improving organic productions, adding more value to organic products and educate the public about organic farming and the importance of organic products. Government grants vary based on the needs of the individuals with new proposals.

Farm Grants for produce sustainability

Research and educational sustainable produce programs offer multiple grants for research that include farmers, students and educators throughout Canada. These grants help farmers and researchers to conduct field trials and demonstrate new technology techniques to sustain the best produce.

Government grants to start up farms

Farming is just like any other type of business, it comes with a long list of challenges and expenses when starting up. Many farmers turn to bank loans or any other type of loans that need to be repaid back with interest. Most of them are not aware of government grants and loans programs that that do not need to be repaid back. The only issue is that they must compete with other farmers for the loans and grant funding.

Small and medium sized farms

There are grants to develop new technology for small and mid size farms, this includes cattle farms. The priority in your ability in getting the grant is that you must be able to develop and market new farming specialty products or equipment to increase the efficiency and profitably. These products or equipment must be able to develop new farming methods that increase the efficiency to use natural resources and how to learn and operate a profitable farm.

Farm Grants for Equipment Winter 2015

Farm Grants for Equipment

In today’s world, farm owners main needs are tractors, combined with other implementations that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many farm owners find it difficult to purchase equipment. Often, farmer owners find it difficult in getting any help after a poor harvest or if financial trouble arise. Farm grants help farm owners who seek assistance. Many farm grants provide funding for farm equipment purchases. In order to land a farm grant for farm equipment, you must know the proper steps to follow to succeed in acquiring farm grants.

Creating a business plan for your farm

The main step in obtaining the farm grant for equipment, is that you must indicate to the government on how you plan to use the equipment that you need to purchase, plus the cost of the farm equipment that you are applying for. Also you must provide the main reason why you need the new equipment and the benefits that you will get from it. “Benefit to All”, remember this is the most important factor in getting the government grant. So you must tackle this task by creating a business plan that shows all the PROS and make sure this is very CLEAR. When meeting with government officials to obtain your farm grant be sure to explain it very clearly on how the farming equipment that you are purchasing will benefit, your farm , your crops, and the style of farming that your plan will employ. Note: some grants are limited for farm equipment for organic farming or small farms.

Farm Grants for research opportunities

Serval farming organizations provide farm grants or serve as an information source and helpful guide for finding and applying for government grants for farm equipment. The sustainable farm research and education website provide a wealth of information on its own grants program, which is supported by the Canadian government department of farms programs. Some of the grant monies can be used to purchase NEW FARM EQUIPMENT. Local funding offices are another key source of information on Canadian government grants for farm equipment. Local Funding offices provide an opportunity to have an FACE-TO-FACE discussion with someone in your community. The Canadian government department of Agriculture also provide programs and information about other farm grants and loans that are available, and can help you can pin point the grants that cover farm equipment.

Contact grant program administrators

You need to narrow your potential government grants for farm equipment, and do a more in depth research on farm grants by calling the agency administrating the grants. A telephone number can always be found next to the information about the grant and there is also contact information that accompanies the grant application. When speaking with the grant administrator explain your needs and be straight forward on how the grant will help you. Ask specific question on what you need and do not wander off on your topic. Question that need to be asked are: are there any limitation to the grant, how many other grants are available for your needs. The reason for this is some grants are so scarce you might not know until you ask.

Applying for farm grants

You need to complete the application in order to be a candidate for one of the many farm grants available, make sure you apply to not only one, and make sure you submit before the deadline date or else you application will be declined or else you will have to wait until the next grant application window

Receive approval

Once you have complete the application you must follow up with the grant administrator about the status of your application for the farm grant. Make sure you follow the administrator direction from the beginning in which they will provide you with the specific details because you will not get them again. Normally you will receive a quick notification from the government when your grant application is approved.

Fall 2014 is for Farm Funding

Harvest time is a busy time on the farm. As a farmer the fall can be a hectic time. Between dealing with the day to day operations of running an agricultural business, the challenges of harvest, and preparing for the upcoming winter it can seem like an overwhelming time of year.

The fall is also a great time to apply for government farm grants and farm loans. As the end of the calendar year approaches, many funding programs of farm grants and farm loans will need to complete their annual budgets.

Don’t miss out on any farm funding opportunities. Contact us now to get the information on the current farm business programs. Farm grants and farm loans could be the difference in your agricultural businesses success.

Click here to contact us now!

Farm Grants – Programs for Farming and Agri-Business

The Government of Canada has Announced $200,000 in Government Grants for a New Agricultural Food Processing Facility to Serve Eastern Ontario Farmers

 Colborne, Ontario (November 2013)

Community Future Development Corporations (CFDCs) and the County of Northumberland recently announced $200,000 in government grants funding for processing equipment required in the eastern Ontario Food Processing Facility.

The facility will provide services to the regional agricultural community by helping locally owned food enterprises to grow. Locally-grown fruits and vegetables will be used to create new products through packaging and freezing processes.

The projected facility will occupy 15,000 square-feet and will offer a range of services including packaging and food storage. The plants primary focus will be to support diversified revenues for fruit and vegetable farmers in the region. The facility will be available for rental, refrigeration and freezer cold storage, educational and meeting space.

“The niche processing facility is an integral part of Northumberland County’s strategic plan supporting economic development and prosperity. By supporting agriculture, technology, business innovation and attraction it creates a centre for regional local food” said Hector Macmillan, Northumberland County Warden.

Construction has begun on The Northumberland Niche Food Processing Facility  which is targeted to be open for business in late spring 2014.