Until March 31, Alberta Milk will be accepting applications to The New Entrant Assistance Program. The program offers a quota loan at no cost to successful applicants that want to be dairy farmers anywhere in province.
Ever dreamt about owning a dairy farm? Now’s your chance. Alberta Milk’s New Entrant Assistant Program (NEAP) is now accepting applications.
The program works by matching the quota purchased by the new entrant with a loan of quota from Alberta Milk up to 25 kg/day at no cost. This loan translates to enough quota to milk about 20-25 additional cows. It gradually expires beginning in the seventh year and reduced to zero at the end of year ten.
“This is a hand up, not a hand out,” says Chairman Tom Kootstra. “This program is meant to encourage those that have the potential to be exceptional dairy farmers to invest in our industry. The result is a strong future for everyone.”
More about the Program
- While using the program, new entrants can expand up to 70 kg/day of total quota holdings, or about 65-70 cows.
- The process to qualify for the program consists of submitting a two-year financial business plan, a 10-year implementation plan, a risk mitigation plan, and signed letter from the applicant’s financial institution agreeing to finance their operation.
- The program started in 2011 and has welcomed 15 new dairy farms into the province and is reviewed annually.
Alberta Milk will be accepting applications from January 1 to March 31, 2017.
Source: Alberta Milk
