Category Archives: Farm Loans

Nova Scotia Farm Succeeds with Community Initiatives

Community Funding, Farm Grants, Farm Loans, , ,

The Bonny Lea Farm team and David Outhouse in Nova Scotia, feel that having connected growing their business and the community is as organic as the products they make to support the green life style.

The current demand for their garden mulch product (mixed blend of hemlock, composted chicken and mulch) is exploding. Their factory will seeon be expanding creating opportunities with special needs in its process.

For more than 40 years, the Chester-based operation has been helping young people with intellectual disabilities develop their potential. As one of the biggest employers in the town, the Farm has built its life skills program on several non-profit business ventures, from herb garden products to custom packaging and wood-working.

Now, the Bark Barn, one of the farm’s most successful businesses, is expanding from 135 sq. m to 450 sq. m, allowing the production line to run inside, rain or shine, all year long.

Of the 45 trainees involved in the program, more than half live at the farm. The others come in every day from their homes in surrounding communities.

In addition to helping them produce more garden products, a bigger barn brings the possibility of expanding the whole operation to include more potential clients on their waiting list.

David says the expansion has been possible thanks to generous private donations and a $143,000 investment from the government’s Innovative Communities Fund.

By integrating good business and good training, Bonny Lea Farm continues to grow opportunities to include everyone in local life and economy.

For more information on innovative funding for your farm or agri-business please contact the Canadian Grants Business Center at 1-888-231-0075

Government Loans for Farmers

Farm Loans, Farm Planning, Farm Start-Ups,

Are Loans available for Canadian Famers?

Being in the Canadian Agriculture Market, there may be programs available to you to increase your business. By law, the Government provides loan guarantee programs to farmers and agricultural co-operatives. Farmers and Agricultural providers can use the farm funding to build, enhance, and develop, their business, while agricultural co-operatives may also access loans to process distribute or market the products of farming.

Loan Objectives

The program allows the Government of Canada to support the renewal of the agricultural sector and enables co-operatives to better seize market opportunities.

Funding availability

The maximum aggregate loan limit for any one farm operation is $500,000.

Loans are limited to a maximum of:

  • $500,000 for the purchase of land and the construction or improvement of buildings.
  • $350,000 for all other loan purposes, including consolidation/refinancing.

The maximum aggregate loan limit for agricultural co-operatives is $3 million, with the Minister’s approval.

Program Delivery

Lenders must take the same care and prudence in issuing this guaranteed loan as would be taken in conducting ordinary business. The Program has been designed to enable lenders to incorporate it into their normal lending practice, while providing the government guarantee on eligible loans to farmers and agricultural co-operatives.

If a purchase has already been made, a lender has 60 days from the purchase date to issue a the guaranteed loan.

Contact Information

The Canadian Grants Business Center can tell you what guaranteed loan program you are eligible to apply for in your area. Please contact us at:

Contact us – canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com

Environmental Farm Planning and Government Funding

Farm Grants, Farm Loans, Farm Planning,

As a farmer, many key choices need to be made to help improve the health and value of your farm, improve your business and leave behind a legacy for the next generation of farmers.

If you take care of your land, your land will take care of your business in more ways than one.

The Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) is a voluntary and confidential, self-assessment process that helps farm managers identify the agri-environmental assets and risks on their operations and develop an action plan to reduce the identified risks. By abiding by this voluntary assessment you can increase your chances of being the winning application in any funding that is environmental based in the agriculture industry.

The EFP has been designed to address priority issues that include the potential environmental effects of agriculture on the:

  • quality and supply of water resources
  • health and quality of soils
  • air and atmospheric quality
  • biodiversity and agricultural landscapes

EFPs remain and continue to be a high priority for Federal and Provincial governments in 2016. Since 2004, over 6,000 producers have participated and completed an EFP in Canada, assessing over 9.3 million acres of land and in return being used for writing your business case for your grant application.

The continued adoption of environmental farm planning will enhance Canada’s reputation as a supplier of safe, high-quality foods that are produced in an environmentally responsible manner.

By participating in this process, producers are able to:

  • identify existing environmental assets on their farm
  • raise awareness of environmental risks on their farm
  • identify actions to reduce risks
  • improve environmental sustainability
  • improve production efficiency on the farm

By implementing an action plan and adopting beneficial management practices (BMP), producers are able to:

  • help improve air, water and soil quality
  • help conserve biodiversity on farmland
  • help contribute to environmental protection and conservation
  • make commodities more marketable to environmentally conscious consumers around the world
  • demonstrate due diligence as part of a business risk management program

By following your local EFP and focusing on a niche funding programming that is tied to improving ones agriculture environmental footprint your chances of being the winning applicant increase as it sets you as a stand out from the rest of the applicant pack.

For more information on what niche farm funding program that is available to you please contact the Canadian Grants Business Center to see what programs meet your needs:

FIND FUNDING NOW!

5 tips for Preparing a Farm Grant Business Case

Farm Grants, Farm Loans, , ,

Previous grantees say the key to a successful grant application is the same as a solid foundation to a farms business plan:

Layout a strategic blue-print of your farms short and long term vision. Local, provincial and federal government agencies are looking at people who think big and look at the granular scale of things. As there are thousands of applicants in this highly competitive funding area, you will need to follow these top 5 farm funding essentials in writing your proposal.

Assess your financial wants and needs

You will have to decide what type of funding you need to achieve your goals. Do you need funding for equipment? Or to develop your produce line more efficiently? Or to research new marketing venues? You need to firmly assess what requirement you need the funding for. Once you explore your options and assess your wants and needs, you can begin the next step.

Research all available farm grant options for your needs.

After your need is assessed, you will have to begin your market research. This is where the Canadian Grants Business Center comes in. We have invested thousands of hours of research in all available funding for farm and agricultural grants. For 2016 we have the latest funding programs available for you at your provincial and even federal level. We have identified funding programs for different types of farms (organic, artificial, etc…), different types of niches (organizational, research focused, environmental, etc…) and will direct you to the proper funding options available.

Create your Grant Case

Once you find the grant that suits you, you will need to make your business case by filing out a grant application. Your case needs to be clear and concise, follow all the grant requirements carefully, and communicate your potential positive impact on the economy. Communicate all your farming ideas clearly, do not make the grant administrator search to connect how the funding will help your farm based on the grant requirements. Focus on short and long term goals and how you can use the funding to achieve them.

Here are some more tips to keep in mind as you draft your grant application:

    • Realistic timeline: Take into account weather factors and environmental changes. Make sure you give a timeline that can be met.
    • Adequate resources: Make sure you show you can achieve your objectives you’re potential staffing.
    • Evaluation plan: Show that you’re keeping track with a proper blueprint or project time line.
    • Collaboration: Find others in your area that you can collaborate with, show you are willing to branch out and aide others with your project.
    • Sharing: Transparency, everything needs to be layed out, no hidden fences.

Submit your application and prepare for post-mortem learning

Submit your application as soon as possible; there could be many obstacles along the way that you may not foresee. Be prepared for rejection, it is apart of the process, learn, adapt and achieve. Ask the granter why you didn’t get it, this can help you next time in being approved for funding. Don’t argue with the granter; just get feedback for next time.

If you are approved, congratulations, your next steps are critical in achieving your goals.

Continue being pro-active

Be active in the grant community; help your colleagues try to achieve your success. Talk about grants and how they can be beneficial for everyone. Also, you can apply for more funding any time if required as there are no rules on how much funding you can get.

The Canadian Grants Business Center is a leading source of information on Farm Grants and Business Grants. We do the research work, so you don’t have to. Contact us today to see what funding is available for you:

canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com

 

The Top 5 Funding Opportunities for Canadian Agriculture

Farm Grants, Farm Loans, Farm Start-Ups, , ,

Canada’s agriculture industry is quickly becoming the largest focus for the Canadian Government’s business effort for increased funding. Today the Government is helping the agriculture industry increase R&D and approach environmental and artificial challenges that they face everyday. These funding initiatives are helping the industry increase expansion and improve operational efficiencies and, today we will cover the top 5 funding initiatives available for Canadian agricultural business today:

1-Adaptation Opportunities

There are programs available today to help Canadian agricultural business to seize opportunities, respond to issues and drive solutions, along with development and commercialization of products not offered in local or National markets.

2-Marketing

There are funding programs available today to push your agri-business exports to a new level. There are funding programs available for advertising, promotions, product demonstrations, trade shows, trade missions, online presence, and web development. Drive your agri-business to a greater market reach.

3-Processing

There are funding programs available today to increase the processing power of agri-businesses in Canada. If provides processing businesses to innovate in process and manufacturing techniques and to adapt to today’s fast global market place.

4-Safety

There are also funding programs today to help agricultural businesses develop or improve or support safety systems or control points that meet or exceed  Canadian industry standards.

5-Environment

There is an increase emphasis on Canadian environmental sustainability in the agriculture industry. There are funding programs available today to create or improve agricultural practices that are safe to the environment and help controlling challenges caused from climate variability.

The Canadian Grant Business Center is a leading researcher for business funding in Canada. To see what funding is available to you, please visit us at

canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com

 

5 Reasons to Apply for that Farm Grant

Farm Grants, Farm Loans, Farm Start-Ups, , , ,

Starting, running and maintaining a farm can become not only a huge physical burden on a person, but also cause financial distress as well. Many farm owners do not know this, but they may be eligible for financial assistance at all levels of the government. The Canadian Government today is making available to all sectors of the farming industry, government funding. Below you will find 5 reasons to start the application process today:

  • Government grants and repayable loans are offered at better terms than regular loans. They are given to select applicants based on certain criteria that the applicants meet. If you are chosen as an approved applicant, this means the government see’s potential in your farm that can benefit you and the economy on the local, provincial or federal level.
  • While it may seem like a caveat, it will actually benefit all parties involved; The funding can only be used to a certain aspect of the farm applying; If the applicant applied for a grant to improve process efficiency, the money can only be spent towards that and only that. With this control, the risk in the funding not returning anything fruitful is minimized.
  • Better than getting a conventional loan. While the approval process could possibly be more difficult, getting a government grant can be less stressful than getting a loan from a financial institution. No matter what you owe the financial institution the money back, but if the endeavour fails, you may risk losing just more than your farm due to the amount owed or the collateral that was put towards the loan.
  • Not a large selection pool. Many people do not know they have funding available to them; this includes any funding that you may be available for. By just finding out what is available for you, already gives you a leg up n the competition.
  • No limitation on the application process. If you meet the criteria, you may be able to get multiple funding from different programs. If your farm is based on dairy and grain production, you may be eligible for funding in programs that touch both those categories.

To learn what you are eligible for, the Canadian Grant Business Center is to answer your questions today. Contact us at today at 1-888-231-0075.

The Canadian Grant Business Center is a Funding Research firm in Canada. Our 2016 publications cover over hundreds of funding programs available throughout Canada for all types of entrepreneurs.

Government Assistance for Oyster Farmers

Aquaculture Grants, Farm Grants, Farm Loans, Fish Farming, Shellfish Farming, ,

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.

Farm Grants, Farm Loans, ,

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.

Startup funding with Farm Grants

Farm Grants, Farm Loans, Farm Start-Ups

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

Farm Grants, Farm Loans, ,

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.