As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada establish an industry-government technical working group for Business Risk Management programs and improve public transparency around program data.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada immediately improve AgriStability by adjusting the program to cover losses below 85% of the historical reference margin, in order to return this margin to its pre-2013 level, and that it work to bring long-term enhancements to make the program more effective, agile, timely and equitable, recognizing that different sectors have different needs, by taking the following measures:

1. Removing the reference margin limit;
2. Working with the provinces and territories to increase the trigger level for program payments;
3. Removing or increasing the payment cap;
4. Increasing amounts of advances available, allowing interim payments before the end of the season;
5. Reducing administrative burden to farmers through simplification of the application process;
6. Adapting the program to improve access to small businesses; and
7. Ensuring that the program does not pay into profitability.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada improve and enhance AgriInvest to make it more effective, agile, timely and equitable, with the following measures:

1. Increasing the percentage of Allowable Net Sales;
2. Increasing the matching government contributions; and
3. Increasing the maximum account balance limit.

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends enhancing access to Business Risk Management programs designed specifically for commodities or regions, such as a livestock price insurance program, that provides national coverage, with the following measures:

1. Making the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program a permanent Business Risk Management program not dependant on renewal under each agricultural policy framework;
2. Supporting a pilot program for beef producers in the Maritime provinces coherent with the Western Livestock Prince Insurance Program; and
3. Identifying and addressing gaps in access to AgriInsurance by sector or region to mitigate the financial impact of production losses.

Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada enhance AgriInsurance with the following measures:

1. Extend production insurance for horticultural and other crops currently not covered by AgriInsurance; and
2. Work with provincial and territorial governments to modernize the rating methodology for AgriInsurance premiums.

Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada review the definition of extraordinary costs under AgriRecovery so the framework can respond to impacts producers face as a result of events such as COVID‑19 or animal diseases like African Swine Fever.

Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada enhance the Advance Payments Program (APP) to better address cash flow risk in agricultural businesses, with the following measures:

1. Increasing the interest-free portion;
2. Increasing the overall cash advance limit; and
3. Providing access to APP to all commodities.

Recommendation 8

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada work with farm organizations to conduct a comprehensive review of the Livestock Tax Deferral Provision with the goal of ensuring that all producers in need of tax deferral due to drought or excessive moisture have access to the program irrespective of administrative boundaries, that decisions regarding deferral eligibility are timely and in sync with the production season, that the latest technologies are being used during the assessment process, and that an appeal mechanism is available to producers when they are excluded from a designation.

Recommendation 9

The Committee recommends that the federal, provincial and territorial governments maintain their cost-sharing agreement for the Business Risk Management programs under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership: 60% for the federal government and 40% for the provincial and territorial governments.

Recommendation 10

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada look at ways to facilitate access to Business Risk Management suite of programs to under-represented groups such as young farmers, women, Indigenous peoples, visible minorities and people with disabilities.

Recommendation 11

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada work to simplify its Business Risk Management programs with the goal of making them more user friendly, timely, bankable and predictable while ensuring the programs meet the needs of farmers with diversified operations and to improve and enhance access for small businesses.

Recommendation 12

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada invest in research aimed at reducing business risks in agriculture and promoting innovation amongst Canadian agriculture producers as an integral component of the suite of BRM programming.

Recommendation 13

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada, in collaboration with the provinces and territories, promote training of producers on risk management and available tools, including agronomic planning and financial tools such as the suite of Business Risk Management programs and private insurances.

Recommendation 14

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada support young farmers and new entrants with the following measures:

1. Looking at reducing AgriInsurance premiums;
2. Waiving AgriStability fees;
3. Providing educational support to bolster a better understanding of Business Risk Management programs and best practices; and
4. Making the AgriInvest program more accessible to young farmers.

Recommendation 15

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada implement a statutory deemed trust to provide financial protection for produce farmers and sellers in the event of buyer insolvency or bankruptcies.