It's time for producers to register their farm business and pay the annual Farm Business Registration (FBR) fee. Ontario producers that gross $7,000 or more annually are required by law to register their farm business. FBR invoices will be mailed to producers in January.
2018 updates
The new year brings a change to the FBR program. Ontario's accredited farm organizations (AFOs) asked the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) to increase the annual FBR fee amount, and as a result, a fee increase will be phased in over a four-year period. Effective January 1, 2018, the FBR fee will increase $30 to $225 plus HST. Each year producers direct their FBR fee to one of the AFOs and apply for membership in that organization. For more information, visit the FBR section on agricorp.com.
Choose an AFO and pay the fee
Producers can change their AFO membership from year to year. If producers choose a different AFO, they can simply call Agricorp at 1-866-327-3678. Fees can be paid through their financial institution: online, by telephone or in person.
Please note: The phone number for any questions concerning the Farm Business Registration program is 1-866-327-3678, which is listed on the back of the invoice and on the FBR information sheet.
Register early
Producers should pay their fee by March 1, 2018 to complete their registration and confirm their AFO membership. Paying after the deadline can affect producers' eligibility in other provincial government programs.
The sooner producers complete their registration, the sooner they can start taking advantage of the benefits of FBR. When a farm business is registered, producers:
- May qualify to pay only 25 per cent of the municipal residential tax rate on their agricultural land
- Are eligible for other government programs, including the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program and Canadian Agricultural Partnership initiatives
- Can obtain a membership in one of three AFOs: Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO), National Farmers Union – Ontario (NFU-O), or Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). For French-speaking producers, services are also provided by the Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens (UCFO).
