Prairie farm groups are offering mixed reviews of the federal government’s new measures to support Canadian agriculture in the face of ongoing global trade disruptions.
While the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) welcomed several initiatives, the canola industry voiced sharp disappointment, warning that Ottawa’s package falls short of what is needed.
Announced by the government Friday, the measures come in the wake of China’s 75.8% anti-dumping duty on imports of Canadian canola seed, and 100% tariffs on imports of canola meal and oil.
At the heart of the federal government’s plan is a new Biofuels Production Incentive valued at more than $370 million over two years, set to run from January 2026 through December 2027. The program will provide per-litre payments to Canadian producers of biodiesel and renewable diesel, capped at 300 million litres per facility.
On the financing side, the government is doubling down on supports through the Advance Payments Program (APP). The APP provides low-interest cash advances of up to $1 million, with a portion interest-free. Earlier this year, the interest-free limit was raised to $250,000. To address ongoing volatility, the government is now temporarily doubling that limit to $500,000 for canola producers through the remainder of the 2025 program year and into 2026.
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