Application forms for the Advance Payments Program for the western Canadian hog sector for the 2011-2012 production period are now available.

The Advance Payments Program is delivered on behalf of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and provides short-term cash advances to crop and livestock producers based on the value of their inventory.

The programme for the Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC hog sectors is being administered by the Manitoba Pork Credit Corporation.

Advance Payments Program manager, Ron Marchenski, says hog producers enrolled in AgriStability are eligible to borrow C$15 per head of isoweans, $25 per head of grower pigs and $70 per head of market hogs.

Ron Marchenski – Manitoba Pork Credit Corporation

Our uptake will probably be low for this production period because we still are administrating the 2008-2009, which came under a stay from the federal government so the 300 plus producers that we do have, the majority are still on this stay and this stay will run until March 31, 2013.

The 2010-2011 production period is coming due and payable on September 30 of this year.

Notices will be going out to the producers I do have for that production period on September 1 and I will enclose an application to each one of those producers and if they want to apply they will have the application in their hands with their statement of payment for 2010-2011 programme so we won't know until the end of September how many of those will apply.

Hog producers can get more information on the Advance Payments Program over the internet by googling Manitoba Pork Credit Corporation or they can call 866 557-5452.