Agriculture has always been the backbone of Alberta’s history, economy, and future prosperity. However, over the past two decades, the province has seen a worrying trend: a steep decline in the number of young and middle-aged producers, while the number of farmers over 55 has increased significantly. In response, Alberta’s government is taking decisive action…
Historical AgriStability analysis demonstrates that capturing full winter feed and pasture cost, along with removing feed inventory price swings during droughts, could significantly improve the responsiveness of the AgriStability program for Alberta’s cow-calf sector. A pilot study will be undertaken to determine the most appropriate program design under various winter-feeding practices. In early 2023, AFSC…
The cattle market is strong right now, and that’s a relief to a lot of cattle producers. But why don’t we have new producers flocking to the industry? A major barrier is the lack of effective agri-insurance. Cattle producers have managed through drought in the last five years, and that’s something current insurance options don’t…
It’s no secret that Canada’s farm population is aging. Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census of Agriculture revealed that over 60 per cent of Canada’s farmers are 55 and older and that many of those farmers have no transition plan for their farms. Which is cause for concern. Decades of hard work and sacrifice could be wiped out when…
Applications open October 30 for the 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program, providing livestock producers with up to $165 million to maintain breeding herds. The governments of Alberta and Canada are partnering on the 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program to support livestock producers facing extraordinary costs due to this year’s dry conditions. Funding for…
Farmers and ranchers impacted by drought and wildfires can now enroll in the newly reopened AgriStability program. While enrolment for this year’s AgriStability program previously closed in the spring, the Government of Alberta and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced last week that producers can sign up for late participation until September 29. “Our government has…
Producers can get The Dish on the challenges and opportunities of perennial risk management August 1 at AgSmart in Olds, AB. The Dish is a special informational event hosted by Agriculture Financial Services (AFSC) and AgSmart. Attendees will gain insights into the opportunities and challenges related to perennial risk management in both Canada and the…
AFSC is adjusting the low yield allowance for 2023 to encourage farmers to put more poor-quality crops towards livestock feed. For 2023, AFSC is doubling the low yield threshold to allow for additional cereal or pulse crops to be salvaged for livestock feed. For example, the barley crop threshold will be increased from 150 to…
More information on Alberta crop insurance premiums is available in this fact sheet. Producers can expect to see higher premiums for the 2023 crop year. The increase is mainly due to higher crop prices, more producers participating in the insurance program, and impacts from the 2021 drought. All efforts are made to ensure premiums remain…
The cancellation of AFSC’s Satellite Yield Insurance program is among the corporation’s changes to its insurance products for 2023. AFSC announced on January 18 that due to technical challenges it would no longer be offering Satellite Yield Insurance, and that producers who have used this coverage in the past would be able to move easily…
Legendary horseman Tom Dorrance once said: “You can learn anything with these three words – observe, remember, and compare.” Beyond that, he said, learn to adjust to fit the situation. Although Tom’s wise advice was a reflection on horsemanship, I couldn’t think of any better advice for what our industry faces today. Throughout last spring…
Farming in Alberta can be unpredictable, but Agriculture Financial Services (AFSC) is committed to providing solutions to help Alberta’s producers do what they do best – build, grow and succeed. We offer a range of lending and risk management options. Lending AFSC offers a dependable source of financing for Alberta farmers and agribusinesses through our…
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