The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) welcomes the federal government’s announcement that pasture-related feed costs will be recognized as allowable expenses under the AgriStability program, beginning in the 2026 program year.

Announced this week by the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Hon. Heath MacDonald, this amendment represents a critical step forward in providing equitable support for Ontario livestock producers. Livestock producers who rely heavily on rented pastureland will now benefit from improved responsiveness from the program.

While this announcement is a positive milestone, the OFA remains committed to advocating for further enhancements to Business Risk Management programs. The OFA will continue to advocate for additional program enhancements including returning the payment trigger to 85% of producers’ historical reference margins and permanently increasing the maximum payment limit under the program to $6 million.