- Step 1. What this program offers
- Step 2. Who is eligible
- Step 3. How to apply
- Step 4. After you apply
- Step 5. Managing your account
- Resources
- Contact information
Step 3. How to apply
Important dates
- deadline to enrol for the 2024 program year
- initial deadline to submit your 2023 form without penalty
- final deadline to submit your 2023 form with penalty. If you send your form after the initial filing deadline, your payment will be reduced (if you receive one) by $500 for each month or part of a month past the initial deadline up to the final deadline.
- deadline to apply for a 2024 interim payment
- initial deadline to submit your 2024 form without penalty
- final deadline to submit your 2024 form with penalty. If you send your form after the initial filing deadline, your payment will be reduced (if you receive one) by $500 for each month or part of a month past the initial deadline up to the final deadline.
1. Enrol
Intake period: Open
Each year you must enrol in the program by the April 30 enrolment deadline (unless otherwise shown on your Enrolment Notice).
If you have participated in AgriStability in the last 2 years, AAFC will automatically send you an Enrolment Notice, where possible and you will be considered enrolled.
If you are a new participant, or you are rejoining after not participating in AgriStability for more than 2 years, complete and send AAFC a New and rejoining participant information form by the April 30, 2024 enrolment deadline. For help to complete your form, read the New and rejoining participant information guide.
Once you are enrolled, AAFC will send you an Enrolment Notice, showing you the fee you have to pay to participate. You also have to pay a $55.00 administrative cost share.
If agreed to by the federal and provincial governments, a province or territory may allow producers the opportunity to participate in the program after the enrolment deadline if there has been a significant downturn in the farm sector and program participation is low. This is called late participation. For more information on late participation, visit What is late participation?
2. Pay your fee
Pay your fee and administrative cost share by the deadline.
Fee deadline dates
- initial deadline to pay your fee without penalty (unless otherwise shown on your Enrolment Notice)
If you miss the initial fee deadline, you have until the final fee deadline to pay your fee with a penalty equal to 20% of your fee.
You can pay your fee on the next business day if your fee deadline falls on Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
For more information on how your fee is calculated and where to pay it, visit How is my fee calculated?
3. Complete your AgriStability form
If you farm in British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories or Yukon
Electronic filing for individuals and corporations
Using the internet:
- 2023 forms for individuals can be filed electronically to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) using EFILE.
- 2023 forms for corporations can be filed electronically to CRA using Corporation Internet Filing.
CRA will electronically send your data to the AgriStability program.
Excel versions of the AgriStability and AgriInvest forms
Excel versions of the AgriStability and AgriInvest application are available for individual producers in all provinces (except Quebec) and corporations, co-operatives, and special individuals in British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories and Yukon.
To receive the forms, complete the online request form.
Price lists
Price lists are used to value your commodities reported in the crop and livestock inventory section of your form (unless you have to provide your own price).
If you farm in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, or Prince Edward Island
| Province | Toll-free | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 1-877-899-2372 | Agriculture Financial Services Corporation |
| Ontario | 1-888-247-4999 | Agricorp |
| Prince Edward Island | 1-855-251-9695 | Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Land |
| Quebec | 1-800-749-3646 | La Financière agricole |
| Saskatchewan | 1-866-270-8450 | Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation |
4. File your form by the deadline
Once your program year is over, send your completed AgriStability form by the deadline.
Filing deadline dates
- initial deadline to submit your 2023 form without penalty
- final deadline to submit your 2023 form with penaltyEndnote 1
- initial deadline to submit your 2024 form without penalty
- final deadline to submit your 2024 form with penaltyEndnote 1
These deadlines apply even if you have an appeal or audit in progress.
If a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, you have until the next business day to send your form.
5. Receive an advance on your final benefit
Generally, you apply for AgriStability benefits after you complete your fiscal year. Since AgriStability benefits are based on information reported to the Canada Revenue Agency for income tax, there is a delay between the time you experience a loss and the time AAFC calculates a benefit.
There are 2 program features that allow you to receive an advance on your final benefit before you have completed your fiscal period.
Interim payment
An interim payment is based on estimates of your program year production margin and reference margin. To receive an interim payment, your estimated reference margin must decline by more than 30% of your estimated reference margin. You can apply for an interim payment if you want to access program funds early. The deadline to apply for an interim payment is March 31, 2025.
Targeted advance payment
In years when there is a need for more timely cash flow that cannot be addressed by the interim payment, governments may agree to make a targeted advance payment available to certain sectors or regions. A targeted advance payment is calculated by comparing the industry average decline to your most recent reference margin available. You will be notified by AAFC when a targeted advance payment is available for your region or sector.
For more information on interim payments and targeted advance payments, visit How are interim payments and targeted advance payments calculated?