As of Monday, the application window for the 2026 Advance Payments Program (APP) is open.
The APP is a federal loan administered by several agricultural organizations across Canada, including the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA).
For the 2026 season, the Canola Growers Association says farmers can access up to $1 million, including up to $100 thousand interest-free on more than 50 eligible commodities and up to $400 thousand interest-free on canola. The interest-bearing rate remains at prime less 0.25 per cent.
Dave Gallant, Director of Finance and APP Operations with CCGA, says grain farmers could use the cash advance for "to cover those costs of seeding, whether it's fuel, crop inputs, etc." Livestock producers could use it to cover the cost of raising animals, he added.
Gallant says the program is flexible on payment as "the farmer only pays as they sell the product."
"If you take an advance for April 1 until you start moving that product post-harvest in the fall, you don't have to make any payments. The beauty of that is that you only pay when you have cash flow from actually making deliveries and getting settlement yourself. It makes it a very convenient program for farmers to use because it doesn't require cash flow to make monthly or scheduled payments until you actually deliver the product." he explained.
Last year CCGA issued about $500 million more in cash advances compared to the previous year, Gallant said, and expects this year to be similar.
The Canola Growers note more than 10-thousand farmers across Western Canada use a cash advance.
First time applicants are advised to call CCGA at 1-866-745-2256. Returning customers can call or use an online account at ccga.ca.
CCGA will begin distributing funds on April 1.
