Valid farm I.D. info. needed for compensation

By Gary Sliworsky
OMAFRA Rep.

When the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program was launched in July 2011, two new eligibility requirements for livestock and poultry producers were created in order to be eligible for compensation. They are; having a Premises ID number and a valid Farm Business Registration number. After April 1, 2012, program applications missing these numbers will not receive compensation.
If you don’t have a valid Farm Business Registration and Premises ID number, apply now in order to be eligible for compensation under the updated program.
If you already have an FBR number, renewal packages are typically mailed to you in January. If you are a new registrant, contact Agricorp at 1-866-327-3678 or at fbr@agricorp.com.
If you are unable to obtain/renew your FBR number because your gross farm income was less than $7,000, you may be able to obtain a “Gross Farm Income Exemption Certificate” if you are able to demonstrate that one of the following income exemptions applies:
·Not a Normal Production Year Exemption
·Age/Illness/Death Exemption
·Start-Up Exemption
For more information about obtaining a Gross Farm Income Exemption Certificate, contact the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs at 1-877-424-1300 or at ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.
Please note, producers with a Religious Exemption approved by the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal will not be required to have a FBR number.
For instructions on how to obtain a Premises ID number please contact the Agriculture Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or email ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.
To apply, you will need to properly identify one or more parcels of land. The most accurate way to identify your land parcel(s) is to provide an Assessment Roll Number which is the tax assessment roll number provided by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation for every parcel of land. Alternative means to identify your land parcel(s) include providing:
·GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) coordinates (longitude and latitude)
·Municipal address(es)
·Lot, concession, township and county information
Premises ID numbers cannot be assigned unless the land parcel(s) can be validated against official Ontario land registry information. You do not need to own a parcel of land to apply for a Premises ID number.
When your premises information has been validated you will be assigned one or more unique Premises ID number(s).
Additional information on the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program can be found at www.ontario.ca/predation.