On this page
Table of Contents
-
Advanced deadlines
New filing deadlines for AgriStability
Starting with the 2024 program year, the deadline to submit your AgriStability program forms will be:
- June 30, 2025 - initial deadline to submit your 2024 forms without penalty
- September 30, 2025 - final deadline to submit your 2024 forms with penalty
The enrolment and fee deadlines have not changed
The deadlines for a program year are unchanged:
- the deadline to enrol is April 30
- the initial deadline to pay your fee without penalty is April 30
- the final deadline to pay your fee with penalty is December 31
These deadlines are in place unless your Enrolment Notice shows a different date.
-
Tax-aligned Reference Margin
What a tax-aligned reference margin is
Starting with the 2024 program year, you can choose to have your reference margin calculated using the same method of accounting you file to tax (cash or accrual). This feature only applies to your reference margin. Your program year margin will remain on the accrual basis.
For cash filers:
- this means your reference margins will no longer be adjusted to account for purchased inputs, deferred income, accounts receivable and payable and crops and livestock inventory when calculating your reference margins
- you’ll no longer have to send the Administration up to 5 years of historical accrual information, significantly reducing the information you have to provide
For accrual filers:
- you’ll continue to have your reference margins based on the 5 years of historical accrual income and expense information that you report to the Canada Revenue Agency for tax purposes
- for accrual filers with livestock, the breeding herd adjustment will no longer apply to your reference years (used to adjust the valuation of breeding animals and culled breeding animal that you report for tax purposes)
Eligibility for a tax-aligned reference margin
You can have your reference margin calculated using the same method of accounting you file to tax (cash or accrual), if you:
- farm in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories or Yukon
- enrolled in AgriStability for the current program year
- send the Administration a completed AgriStability Tax-aligned Reference Margin Consent Form by the deadline for the current program year
How long you can receive a tax-aligned reference margin
You can have a tax-aligned reference margin for as long as you like, starting with the 2024 program year.
If you choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin you will only be permitted to switch to the accrual adjusted method once you have not had an accrual adjusted reference margin calculated in any of the four program years immediately prior to the current program year.
However, new participants who elect to have a tax-aligned reference margin when they first join the program, will be permitted to switch to the accrual adjusted method in any future program year after their first year of participation.
How you receive a tax-aligned reference margin for 2024
You must send the Administration a completed 2024 AgriStability Tax-aligned Reference Margin Consent Form by December 31, 2024.
The deadline to choose a tax-aligned reference margin for 2024
The deadline to send the Administration a completed 2024 AgriStability Tax-aligned Reference Margin Consent Form is December 31, 2024.
Tax-aligned reference margin if you’re in a partnership
Each partner in a partnership can choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin.
Tax-aligned reference margin if your farm is combined with another farm
All members in a whole farm must have the same method of accounting applied when calculating reference margins (apples to apples comparison). Therefore, all members of a whole farm must choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin.
How structural change is calculated for a tax-aligned reference margin
If you file to tax on the cash basis, the default method for structural change for your tax-aligned reference margin will change from the ratio method to the additive method. The additive method responds better to cash reference margins and provides a more realistic structural change adjustment.
If you file to tax on the accrual basis, the ratio method will remain as the structural change method for your tax-aligned reference margin. The ratio method works best with accrual margins as there is less variability from year to year.
If you receive a 2024 interim payment, you can still choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin
You can choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin by sending the Administration the consent form by December 31, 2024. If you receive a 2024 interim payment before sending the consent form, your reference margin used to calculate your interim payment will be different from the reference margin used to calculate your 2024 final benefit. If your interim payment is greater than your final benefit you will have to repay the overpayment.
You cannot choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin after sending in your 2024 application
You must send the Administration your consent form prior to filing your 2024 application. If the consent form is not on file when the Administration receives your application, your reference margin will be calculated on the accrual basis. You can choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin starting with the 2025 program year provided you send the Administration a 2025 consent form before filing your 2025 application.
You cannot choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin after you receive your 2024 Calculation of Program Benefits and have your AgriStability benefits
You must send the Administration your consent form before filing your 2024 application. If the consent form is not on file when the Administration receives your application, your reference margin will be calculated on the accrual basis. You can choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin starting with the 2025 program year provided you send the Administration a 2025 consent form before filing your 2025 application.
If you choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin starting with 2024, you cannot opt out for 2025
If you choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin you will only be permitted to switch to the accrual adjusted method once you have not had an accrual adjusted reference margin calculated in any of the 4 program years immediately prior to the current program year.
However, new participants who elect to have a tax-aligned reference margin when they first join the program, will be permitted to switch to the accrual adjusted method in any future program year after their first year of participation.
If you choose not to have a tax-aligned reference margin for 2024, you can choose to have one for 2025 or future program year
You can choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin starting with 2025 or a future program year.
If you choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin you will only be permitted to switch to the accrual adjusted method once you have not had an accrual adjusted reference margin calculated in any of the four program years immediately prior to the current program year.
However, new participants who elect to have a tax-aligned reference margin when they first join the program, will be permitted to switch to the accrual adjusted method in any future program year after their first year of participation.
If you joined the Cash Reference Margin Pilot (for 2022 and/or 2023) you will not automatically receive a tax-aligned reference margin starting with the 2024 program year
If you would like to have a tax-aligned reference margin starting with 2024, you must send the Administration a completed 2024 AgriStability Tax-aligned Reference Margin Consent Form by December 31, 2024.
How the program year margin is calculated with a tax-aligned reference margin
The tax-aligned reference margin only applies to the reference margin. The program year margin calculation remains the same, with accrual adjustments.
If you file your taxes to AgriStability on the accrual basis there are changes with a tax-aligned reference margin
A new program feature starting with the 2024 program year is the option to receive a coverage notice. The coverage notice provides an estimate of your reference margin and support level for the current program year.
The coverage notices will be available during the program year and will help you better determine if you qualify for a benefit and whether you will need to provide the necessary program year supplementary information. If you believe you would not quality for a benefit, you do not need to submit a final application.
To receive a coverage notice, you must choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin.
In addition, if you have a breeding herd and choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin, the breeding herd adjustment will no longer apply to your reference years. You will no longer have to provide your accrual adjustments to ensure the value of breeding animals and culled breeding animals reflects an end of year price only.
-
Coverage notice
What a coverage notice is
The coverage notice is a new optional program feature starting with the 2024 program year. The coverage notice provides an estimate of your reference margin and support level for the current program year.
The coverage notices will be available during the program year and will help you better determine if you qualify for a benefit and whether you will need to provide the necessary program year supplementary information. If you believe you would not quality for a benefit, you don’t need to submit a final application.
Eligibility for a coverage notice
You’re eligible to receive a coverage notice if you:
- farm in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories or Yukon
- enrolled in AgriStability for the current program year
- elect to have a tax-aligned reference margin
- send the Administration your intended productive capacity for the current program year
How you apply for a coverage notice
To receive a coverage notice for 2024, you must send the Administration a completed 2024 AgriStability Coverage Notice Intended Productive Capacity Form by December 31, 2024. For help to complete your form, see the 2024 AgriStability Program – Coverage Notice Intended Productive Capacity Information Guide.
The deadline to apply for a 2024 coverage notice
The deadline to send the Administration a completed 2024 AgriStability Coverage Notice Intended Productive Capacity Form is December 31, 2024.
Why you must provide your intended productive capacity information for the current year when the coverage notice provides information about your estimated reference margin
The Administration will use your intended productive capacity for the current program year to determine if there has been a structural change to your farming operation.
If you experienced a significant change in the size of your farming operation, the Administration may apply a structural change adjustment to your reference margin. This will ensure your reference years are more reflective of what your farm looks like today. The Administration needs your current year intended productive units to calculate the structural change adjustment.
Also, if you’re a beginning farmer your intended productive capacity will be used to create your reference margin.
You must apply for a coverage notice each year you want to receive one
You must send the Administration your intended productive capacity for each year you want a coverage notice.
Coverage notice if you’re in a partnership
Each partner can choose to receive a coverage notice.
You may receive a coverage notice if your farm is combined with another farm
The coverage notice will be based on the whole farm. Therefore, all members of a whole farm must choose to have a tax-aligned reference margin and provide their intended productive capacity for the program year. We need the intended productive capacity from all members to calculate the estimated reference margin and support level for the whole farm.