Canadian Farm Families Options Program for Training

The Canadian Farm Families Options Program (Options) provides short-term income to help farmers and their families while they pursue training. The program also provides advice to improve their business prospects and income for the long-term. 

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible for this program if you reported $50 000 or more in gross farm income in the program year to the Canada Revenue Agency, and are:

• a farm family who reported less than $25 000 from all income sources in the year of application; or
• an individual farmer who reported less than $15 000 from all income sources in the year of application.

To be eligible, you must be actively farming and report farm income to the Canada Revenue Agency in 2005 and 2006.

You must also commit to completing one of the following Renewal activities:

• a Farm Business Assessment or a business plan offered under Canadian Farm Business Advisory Services, or an approved equivalent activity; or
• an Individual Learning Plan and skills training through the Canadian Agricultural Skills Service or an approved equivalent activity.

For year two of the program, you must be participating in or have completed a Renewal activity to be eligible for a payment.

Eligible Activities

Farmers who are pursuing training and advice.

Deadline

2007-12-14

Summary

Options will continue to be offered for the 2006 program year to farm families and individuals who received a payment in 2005 (including applicants who were eligible but were not issued a cheque because it was less than $100).

The 2006 Options forms and guides have been be mailed to those who received a 2005 payment, as well as to those who qualified, but did not receive a cheque because their payment was less than $100.

All 2006 Options payments will be reduced by 25% to minimize the reliance on the Options Program. The 2006 payments will also be prorated (by 50%) to ensure AAFC remains within the allocated budget for the program.

As a condition for receiving income assistance for 2006 Options you must meet one of the three following conditions by December 14, 2007:

• be participating in a Farm Business Assessment (FBA) through the Canadian Farm Business Advisory Services (CFBAS); or
• be participating in the Canadian Agricultural Skills Service (CASS); or
• have completed an approved equivalent activity offered through other services.

The FBA and CASS programs offered by AAFC Renewal services are provided free of charge to Options applicants.

Notes: * The Options pilot program is in its second and final year. ** Please be advised that appeals for the 2005 Options Program (Year 1 of the program) will not be accepted after October 31, 2007.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
Canadian Farm Families Options Program
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
P.O. Box 6100
Winnipeg, Manitoba  R3C 4N3
Toll-free (information): 1-866-367-8506
Web site: http://www.agr.gc.ca/index_e.phtml
Hours of operation: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Central Time.