FAQS for Farmers

Participants must:

• Be the beneficial owner of lands and buildings suitable for the production of chicken.

Applicants include:

• Persons who are interested in growing local niche market chicken between 6,000 and 60,000 birds per year for meat production and have arranged to purchase the required quota units (1,000 quota units to 10,000 quota units respectively).

• Persons who are in other CFO programs such as Family Food Program and the Artisanal Chicken Program who are interested in increasing the amount they can grow to between 6,000 and 60,000 birds per year and have arranged purchase of the required quota.

• Those interested in participating in the program are required to complete and submit an application digitally. The application form must be submitted with the quota transfer form.

• The program is available from Quota Period A-136. Applications must be submitted electronically with the quota transfer deadline of October 24, 2015 for A-136. Future quota period deadlines (A-137 and later) are defined by the appropriate quota transfer deadlines which can be accessed by clicking here.

• Applications will be considered in the order in which they are received until the allocation available in any year is reached. The available allocation will be 5% of the previous year’s growth, as determined and communicated annually by CFO

• Applications will be processed in a timely manner after they are received to ensure successful applicants are informed at the time allocation is confirmed for any quota period

• The approved applicant will be successful in transferring the quota.

• The applicant will become a local niche Farmer-Member and must comply with the provisions of the Farm Products Marketing Act production license is specific only to the particular artisanal grower to whom it is issued and does not convey any property rights.

• Local Niche Market Chicken Farmers may only produce and market chicken as a Local Niche Market Chicken Farmer (they cannot be Family Food participants, Artisanal Chicken Farmers, Specialty Breeds Rights holders or basic quota holders).

• For this Production License the approved applicant will be required to:
  • Meet all CFO policies and regulations immediately, or within a year if required
  • Demonstrate that a local niche chicken market is being met
  • Maintain records to confirm compliance with the Program
  • Adhere to scheduled and random inspections or audits by an appointed inspector or agent of the Board
  • Complete and submit electronically CFO's Forms

• CFO is endeavoring to provide excellent customer service digitally in all aspects of the Local Niche Markets Program.

• Approved participants are required to have the means to communicate digitally via email and to submit all forms once they are all made available on-line. CFO staff will be pleased to assist new Local Niche Markets chicken farmers in the transition to digital business services.

• An Local Niche Markets Program chicken farmer will grow and market the product locally and always within Ontario

• An application for a Local Niche Markets Program chicken farmer to increase production is required along with the quota transfer documentation provided that the total quota holding is below 10,000 quota units. If the total quota unit limit is exceeded, the applicant must have more than the minimum 14,000 quota units and will become a farmer-member and will no longer be a Local Niche Markets Program chicken farmer.

Local Niche Markets Program chicken marketed under this program must be marketed at a price not less than the minimum live price determined under Ontario Regulation 402. The Minimum Live Price can be accessed by clicking here.

• The standard CFO and CFC fees and levies are payable based on live weight. For more information on License Fees and Levies click here.

• Local Niche Markets Program chicken farmers, as holders of less than the minimum quota requirement, will fix and allot new units of new basic quota on a 70 percent pro-rata only basis.