Statement on Changes to APP Interest-Free Limit in Budget 2023

Apr 20, 2023

Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, tabled Budget 2023 on March 28, 2023. Budget 2023 contains a proposed increase to the interest-free portion of the 2023 Advance Payments Program from $250,000 to $350,000.

Budget 2023 has been tabled and there are numerous steps in the legislative process that will occur in the coming weeks. Currently, Budget 2023 has not been passed and the various legislative pieces will take time to be enacted and implemented.

Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) will be watching Budget 2023 as it progresses through the legislative process. At this time, we are unable to determine when the proposed regulatory changes to the interest-free portion of an advance may come into effect for the 2023 program year.

As we have done with prior mid-year program changes, CCGA will promptly advise customers about this change once we have more details from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. CCGA’s website will be updated when additional information becomes available.

Click here to see more...

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.