Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is now accepting applications for 2025 Advance Payments Program (APP) cash advances, with funds to be issued starting April 1. The APP is a federal loan program administered by MCA. It offers Canadian farmers marketing flexibility through interest-free and low-interest cash advances. Under the program, eligible farmers are eligible to receive up to $1 million, with the Government of Canada paying the interest on the first $100,000 of the advance for the 2025 program year. For the 2025 program year, MCA’s interest rate on interest-bearing cash advances is prime – 0.50 per cent. This interest-bearing rate is competitive with other APP administrators, major banks and credit unions. MCA is also maintaining a low, one-time application fee of $250 for the 2025 program year. To correspond with the start of the 2025 spring program, MCA has launched a new APP cash advance website: mcacashadvance.ca. The site was designed to improve the user experience for APP cas
Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has awarded six post-secondary students from Manitoba with MCA 2024-25 bursaries valued at $2,000 each. The six bursary recipients are Mika Cleave from Ochre River, Noah Kaminsky from Brunkild, Chad Pouteau from Mariapolis, Layne Thompson from Ochre River, Jadyn Wiebe from Plum Coulee, and Abby Mazier from Justice. “Educating and inspiring the next generation is a strategic priority for our organization,” says MCA chair Robert Misko. “Each of our bursary recipients has chosen to pursue their passion and expand their knowledge, and I hope they will eventually use that knowledge and passion to advance our industry.” MCA established these bursaries to assist with the financial needs of students who are enrolled in a post-secondary agricultural program within the province of Manitoba. An independent selection committee was contracted to evaluate the applicants based on their connection to or interest in agriculture, explanation of why they decided to enrol i
Canadian farms are at risk amid punishing tariffs levied by the American government beginning Tuesday, says the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC). The 25% tariffs, which will apply to most Canadian goods exported south of the border - including grain and grain products – not only threaten the viability of family-run Canadian farms, but will also increase food costs for US consumers, the organization said in a statement. “Canadian family-run grain farms are already facing death by a thousand cuts through increased input costs, regulatory burdens, and taxation,” said GGC executive director Kyle Larkin. “Uncertainty with our largest trading partner for grain and grain products, on top of ongoing instability with our second-largest trading partner, China, could push many family farms to the brink.” The US imports over $17 billion worth of Canadian grain and grain products every year to meet domestic demand. These imports include wheat for bread, durum for pasta, oats for food products,
Manitoba is facing a low to moderate risk of significant flooding in most basins this spring. Released last week by the province’s Hydrological Forecast Centre, the February Flood Outlook Report suggests a moderate risk of significant flooding along the Red, Assiniboine and Pembina rivers, based on current conditions. A moderate risk of flooding also exists in the Interlake region, including the Fisher and Icelandic rivers. On the other hand, the risk of spring flooding is considered low along several other rivers, including the Roseau, Rat, Saskatchewan, and Churchill rivers. Water levels are expected to remain below community flood protection levels, the report said, adding the risk of flooding is low for most Manitoba lakes throughout the spring period. Most lakes are expected to be within the desired operating ranges after the spring runoff. The low to moderate flood risk is based on near normal to below normal soil moisture at freeze-up and normal to well above normal winte
The U.S. put tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China; two countries have already responded
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