OFA submitted comments on OMAFRA’s proposed changes to Ontario’s Financial Protection Programs. OFA noted that the Beef Cattle Protection Program and the Grain Financial Protection Program work well and that no major structure program changes are necessary. OFA believes it is appropriate to consider the program enhancements suggested by the Financial Protection Boards and associated commodity groups. OFA offered to help distribute the new program information for producers and dealers once it is available. The two current programs protect producers of grain corn, soybeans, canola, wheat, and beef cattle (including veal calves and dairy cattle). OFA supports proposed amendments to make it easier to expand programming to cover agricultural products beyond these existing commodities. OFA recommends that OMAFRA engage and assist other commodity groups, expressing interest in developing a financial protection program to protect their producers, with drafting the needed business plan. OFA further supports investigating whether the legislative and regulatory framework can be streamlined. Consolidating all legislation governing farm financial protection programming into a single Act would result in a clear understanding of authorities, responsibilities and obligations. OFA further recommends that OMAFRA also seek to transfer provisions that provide a horse boarder or a custom livestock feeder the right to obtain payment through a possessory lien from in the Innkeeper’s Act to the Farm Products Payment Act. OFA believes a new section in the Farm Products Payment Act should set out the possessory rights of unpaid custom livestock feeders and horse borders to hold animals until payment is received or to sell at public auction to recover payment.