Growing Forward
Best Practices Suite
Business Development for Farm Businesses

Cost-Share Opportunities

Business Plan Implementation

To help implement elements of an Advanced Business Plan, a farm business may receive cost-share funding assistance for one-time non-capital costs.

Eligible farm businesses may receive cost-share funding for up to 50 per cent to a maximum of $3000.

Eligible costs may include one-time soft (non-capital) costs of implementing:

• Specialized contracts
• Business agreements
• Legal documentation
• Licensing agreements
• Trademarks and/or patent registration
• Certification.

A list of eligible items can be found at www.ontario.ca/agbusiness.ca.

Group Applications

Groups are eligible to apply for Advanced Business Planning and Business Plan Implementation. Each person or entity in the group must represent a distinct and separate farming business or operation.

Non-farmers such as capital suppliers and processors can be members of group projects; however, only eligible producers may receive funding under these services

Eligibility Criteria

Individual Ontario producers, beginning farmers, and members of a group enterprise such as a corporation or partnership are eligible for Growing Forward Business Development. Applicants must establish that they meet the definition of an agricultural producer.

To take part in Growing Forward Business Development, a farm business must meet the general eligibility criteria as follows:

Established farmers will provide a Farm Business

• Registration number (FBRN)
• Beginning farmers will need to demonstrate the intent to have $7000.00 in farm sales within three years.
• Farm businesses, who choose not to have a FBRN for cultural or religious reasons, will furnish a copy of the Religious Exemption Letter, as provided by the Agriculture,
  Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal.
• First Nations farm businesses farming on reservation land will furnish a letter from the Indian Agriculture Program of Ontario (IAPO) verifying the farm business.

For more information:

The first step of Growing Forward Business Development for farm businesses is to register for an upcoming Growing Your Farm Profits workshop provided in your area.

Please contact your local OSCIA representative or visit their website at www.ontariosoilcrop.org

Growing Forward Business Development for farm businesses is delivered locally through the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). Technical content is developed by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs with the support of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

For more information on Growing Forward, please call 1-888-479-3931 or e-mail growingforward@ontario.ca