Grain and livestock producers who have been affected by extreme wet conditions in Alberta are now able to apply for AgriStability, with an extended enrolment deadline of Oct. 1.
“The governments of Alberta and Canada agreed to open AgriStability late participation for the 2026 program year due to the wet conditions that have affected many Alberta producers since the program’s April 30 enrolment deadline,” says Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) AgriStability and Pricing Manager Daniel Graham.
“In addition to late participation, the amount an Alberta producer participating in AgriStability can receive as an interim payment has increased for the 2026 program year. Participants eligible to receive an interim payment can now receive up to 75 percent of their estimated benefit payment, up from 50 per cent.”
Graham says AgriStability helps producers who experience a significant decline in income because of a production loss, adverse market conditions, or increases in input costs.
“In the case of wet conditions, AgriStability can help mitigate the impact to the overall income of the farm,” says Graham.
“AgriStability is part of a suite of programs under the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership agreement between the federal, provincial and territorial governments. It is cost shared by the federal and provincial government on a 60/40 basis, 60 per cent federal and 40 per cent provincial.”
If producers have not yet applied for AgriStability but are concerned about crop yields or ability to harvest said crops, Graham says the process to apply for late AgriStability participation is straight forward.
He says to complete the 2026 AgriStability Application for Fee Notice Form for late participation application by Oct. 1.
“Once the application is submitted, a Late Participation Enrolment Fee Notice will be issued by mail,” he explains.
“This notice will show a $300 non-refundable up-front fee. Pay the fee within 30 days of the issue date of Late Participation Enrolment Fee Notice.”
He says then a producer package will be issued by mail, requesting historical financial and production information needed in determining potential program benefits.
This information can be submitted at any time.
The final submission deadline is June 30, 2027; the same time that 2026 tax and supplemental information is due.
“Once this information is received for the 2026 program year, the application will be verified and processed and potential benefit payments issued,” he says.
“Benefits are calculated by comparing a participant’s financial information for the current year to historical years to determine if there has been a shortfall in their income. Historical years may also be adjusted to better reflect the current year’s productive capacity or commodity mix.”
Graham explains any Alberta producer or ranchers can enrol in AgriStability through late participation.
“If a producer’s income for the 2026 program year falls below the threshold of 70 per cent of their historical average, program benefits are triggered,” he explains.
“For every dollar of income that falls short of the threshold, a $0.80 benefit is paid. The benefit must be a minimum of $250 before a payment is issued, and the maximum benefit payment is limited to $3.0 million or 70 per cent of the producer’s historical average, whichever is less.”
For producers who enrol through late participation, any benefit payments will be reduced by 20 per cent.
Graham says the 20 per cent reduction is an incentive to have producers proactively participate in the program.
“The September 1 Alberta Crop Report estimated that harvested cropsprovincially are lagging between seven and 10 per cent behind when compared to the five- and 10-year averages for this time of year,” Graham explains.
“The Peace region was at 3.3 per cent completed compared to the five-year average of 13.3 per cent.”
He adds that the August 25 Alberta Crop Report estimated dryland yield index for the province to be 20 per cent above the five-year average and nine percent of the 10-year average.
“The Northeast lags the province at just under one percent of the five-year average and almost six percent below the 10-year average,” says Graham.
“The Peace Region is approximately nine percent above the five-year average and two percent above the 10-year average.”
Graham further explains that AgriStability is designed to help producers who experience a significant decline in income from events beyond their control.
“It protects against production loss, increased input costs, decreases in inventory values, and changing market conditions—covering a broad spectrum of risks that can reduce farm profitability,” he notes.
“Participants enrolling in AgriStability can choose how they want to file the financial information used to determine their historical average, selecting either the optional reference margin (ORM) or the default accrual adjusted reference margin (AARM).”
Graham explains the optional reference margin is based on tax-reported income, eliminating the need to provide inventory or accrual records for determining their historical average.
“On the other hand, the accrual adjusted reference margin considers inventory, payables, purchased inputs, and deferrals; however, the added information increases the precision of the program,” he concludes.
Producers looking for more details on AgriStability and late participation can visit AFSC’s website at AFSC.ca or contact AFSC’s Client Care Centre at 1-877-899-2372 or reach out to a preferred AFSC branch office.
Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter