Farmer-facing recommended changes to the Advance Payments Program have started to roll out this year with a different approach to credit checks.

Advance payment changes still mostly in waiting

APP cash advances for 2025 included a credit-worthiness change, but another three recommended updates for the federal farm lending program are still in limbo

APP cash advances for 2025 included a credit-worthiness change for farmers, but another three recommended updates for the federal farm lending program are still in limbo.




Beef cattle chew cud while on pasture near Cypress River, Man., June 11, 2025.

High cattle prices fail to budge cautious beef farmer spending

Canadian beef farmers in 2025 are getting paid plenty for their cattle, but the memory of bad markets and little profit is hard to shake when it comes to big spending decisions

Canadian beef farmers in 2025 are getting paid plenty for their cattle, but the memory of bad markets and little profit is hard to shake when it comes to big investments or projects on their farms.


Canadian farmers promised federal investment, but expert worries it’s not enough

Canadian farmers promised federal investment, but expert worries it’s not enough

As tariff drama heated up in the first week of March, the Government of Canada announced funding for diversified trade, as well as pushing interest-free portions of advance payments back up to $250,000

In the face of tariff drama, the Government of Canada announced funding for diversified trade, as well as pushing interest-free portions of advance payments back up to $250,000, both aimed to help Canadian agriculture and farmers

Last year, farm groups had to fight to keep the the interest-free portion of Advance Payments Program loans from slipping.

Producers protest change to 2025 cash advance program

The 2025 interest-free portion for advance payments has been lowered back to 2021 levels

Canadian farm groups may have another lobby fight this year to increase the interest-free portion of the Advance Payments Program, which has been dropped back down to $100,000.





(Andreswd/iStock/Getty Images)

Feds lock in higher interest-free portion on cash advances

Budget boost in effect as of Monday

A further temporary increase to the interest-free chunk of cash advances available to Canadian farmers, as telegraphed in March’s federal budget, has now gone live. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau confirmed Wednesday that the interest-free limit under the Advance Payments Program (APP) for the 2023 program year is now $350,000, effective Monday (May 8). The regulatory

(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Cash advances’ interest-free portion temporarily raised

APP funds now interest-free for first $250K

The federal government’s low-interest loan guarantee program for Canadian farmers will sweeten the interest-free portion of its offer for the next two program years to help with farm cash flow. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Thursday announced a temporary increase in the interest-free portion of the Advance Payments Program to $250,000, up from the usual