What is an FBR number?
If you farm in Ontario, and your gross annual sales exceed $7,000, you must get a Farm Business Registration (FBR) number. You obtain an FBR number by annually registering through "Agricorp", an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness (OMAFA).
To obtain and retain an FBR number, farmers must pay an annual fee set by OMAFA. This fee is directed to your choice of Accredited Farm Organizations (AFOs) to represent your interests. In 2002, the National Farmers Union - Ontario gained accreditation and now welcomes the majority of its members through the FBR program.
How to Join as an FBR Member
The first step includes getting your FBR number through Agricorp and selecting the NFU-O on your FBR form. Once Agricorp sends your fees to the NFU-O (and you have not requested a refund of the fees), you can apply to become a member of the NFU-O! Here are the steps to getting your FBR and joining the NFU-O:
Want to switch your AFO to the NFU-O?
What are the benefits of getting an FBR?
An FBR number is an eligibility requirement for many provincial agricultural programs, such as the Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program. You may qualify to pay just 25% of the municipal residential rate on your agricultural land. In most Ontario counties or townships, this can amount to thousands of dollars in savings every year!
Other benefits include:
- Eligibility for government programs – Including the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program, the On-Farm Climate Action Fund, Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) initiatives, & more!
- Farm license plates – The benefits of which include lower annual plate cost, option to drive a D truck with a Class G license, and limited dangerous goods exemptions.
- Membership in the NFU-O to receive our member services. NFU-O is Ontario’s strongest voice for the needs and interests of small and medium-scale producers, direct-market farmers, and certified organic or sustainable producers.
Why choose the NFU-O?
The NFU-O supports and empowers farmers to answer the challenges to sustainable agriculture in unstable times. We are committed to building successful, diverse, and welcoming agricultural communities. Our members develop farmer-friendly policy together through our grassroots, democratic approach, and we advocate boldly for those policies in our communities and at all levels of government.
Farmers choose the NFU-O for:
The NFU-O is the only organization in Ontario with a proven track record of standing up to big agriculture and its army of lobbyists. It’s a small organization that punches far above its weight to ensure small and medium size family farms in Ontario have a voice at Queen’s Park. I am consistently surprised by the rollout of new programs and initiatives, such as helping new and young farmers access land and showcasing the beautiful work carried out by farmers with the Depth of Field films. Directing FBR fees to the NFU-O is the easiest decision to make, year after year.
– David Mazur-Goulet, Farmer near Kemptville, ON
Requesting a refund of your FBR Registration
All farm businesses that gross $7,000 or more annually are required by law to register their farming businesses and pay a selected AFO. However, the Farm Registration and Farm Organizations Funding Act, 1993 states that you can request a refund.
If you do not wish to receive the benefits of the NFU-O, contact us directly by mail or email no later than May 31, and request a refund. All refund requests must comply with our Refund Service Standard.
Refund Service Standard:
- Requests need to be submitted in writing.
- Requests must come directly to the NFU-O office as stated in Agricorp’s refund instructions.
- Requests must have the name, mailing address, and FBR number of the person requesting the refund.
- Requests must have a valid FBR number and therefore must come after payment has been received by the NFU-O from Agricorp.
- Requests must be received or postmarked by May 31 (90 days after the March 1 deadline).
- Refunds will be issued approximately 30 days after the request is received.
- Please submit all refund requests to office@nfuontario.ca or by mailing to: NFU-O, PO Box 31053, RPO Willow West, Guelph ON, N1H 3T0.
Frequently Asked Questions
Returning registrants may renew an FBR number if the proof of $7,000 or more gross farming income can be validated if requested, and the registration payment is received by August 31. If the August 31 deadline is missed, contact Agricorp.
To register under the Farm Business Registration program, a farm business must have generated at least $7,000 in gross farming income in the preceding year.
If a new applicant has not completed the applicable tax return, they may provide other financial, inventory and business information and records, for example, sales receipts that show the farm business name, commodity and dollar amount, a statement of farming income and expenses or general ledger from an accountant or bookkeeper showing a breakdown by commodity. These records must demonstrate that the Gross Farm Income requirement is met in the 12-month period before the application is submitted.
New farm businesses that are not yet eligible for the Farm Business Registration program may qualify for a start-up exemption under the Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program. For more information on the Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program and exemptions, contact Agricorp.
Farm Business Registrations are transferable only between spouses. Contact Agricorp to advise of your situation and determine the appropriate actions required.
A person with a valid FBR can have leased, rented, or borrowed lands that they use for farming be re-classified and taxed at the farm rate. This is done by completing the Tenant Farmer Declaration form. This form is submitted to Agricorp, which then lets the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) know there has been a change to the tax rate for a particular parcel of land.
A Farm Business Registration is not property specific. The Farm Business Registration is associated only with the farming business. This business could be operating on one property, or on a number of different properties. If you have any further questions about the Farm Property Class Tax Rate Program, please call Agricorp.
Get the Farm Business Registration (FBR) 101 Guide!
Get the Farm Business Registration (FBR) 101 Guide!
