Ontario BEEF BREEDER CO-OPERATIVE Program

Ontario Beef Breeder Co-operative Program Contact Information For general  information on the program, please contact Breeder Co-op Provincial Supervisor, Cheryl Russwurm at (519) 367-5590 or via email at crfeederfin@wightman.ca

Cooperative	Name	Telephone
Bruce/Grey Beef Cow Finance Co-op	Sandra Laver	519-934-2666
East Beef Breeder Co-op	Delores Maracle-Whalen	613-396-6561
Huron-Perth-Middlesex Beef Breeder Co-op	Janice Hawkins-Wylie	519-887-8899
Ottawa Valley Beef Breeder Co-op	Jim Cochran	613-256-3835
Rainy River Beef Breeder Co-op	Joyous Bragg	807-482-3948/2498
South Queen's Breeder Finance Co-op	Darryl Diemert	519-367-2077
Southwest Beef Breeders Co-op	Joanne Sanderson	519-695-3980
Temiskaming/Cochrane Breeder Co-op	Mike Rheaume	705-648-4536

A manual, entitled "Developing a new Breeder Cooperative" has been written and outlines the steps that groups of producers must follow when developing a co-operative. This manual is available from the offices of the Ontario Cattlemen's Association or Beef Improvement Opportunities.

To view the Breeder Loan program's privacy statement, click here

Ontario Beef Breeder Co-operative Program Highlights

• The Beef Breeder Cattle Loan program will be structured similar to the Feeder Loan Guarantee Program.

• Corporations or co-operatives will be established on a broad geographic basis. Each breeder organization will have a board of directors and must have a minimum of 20 members.

• Eligible members include individuals who are at least 18 years of age and who are landowners or who rent land, or are voting shareholders in partnerships or corporations owning land.

• The program applies to breeding females of commercial breeding value intended for beef production. Eligible cattle are bred or open heifers. All animals purchased must be properly vaccinated according to organization guidelines.

• The program may be established through an alliance with Farm Credit Canada or other lending institution but without a loan guarantee from the Government of Ontario

• Each member will be required to deposit 15% of their own funds into an assurance account prior to receiving a purchase order. That amount will be held in the account for the full term of the loan.

• The maximum breeder loan to a member is $50,000. This amount can be used in a maximum of two purchase orders. The repayment period for each purchase order will be five years.

• If a member has not owned and calved out at least 20 cows in the previous year, then the maximum loan to that member is $25,000 the first year.

• A breeder agreement will be developed to cover the terms of the loan.

• All cattle (offspring and cull cows) must be sold in the name of the organization to the account of the member.