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Canadian Agricultural Skills Service

Training and Education Funding for Farmers and their Spouses

The Canadian Agricultural Skills Service (CASS) is a unique program designed to help farmers and their spouses increase their family income through improved farm practices, increased off-farm income or both.

The program provides financial assistance to access training in areas to enhance farm business management and production practices, training for other employment, or training to acquire skills for starting a new business.

CASS offers

• Assessment: Identify your existing strengths and skills with a qualified career counsellor.
• Development of an Individual Learning Plan: Your career counsellor will help you create a personal Learning Plan that best suits your training needs and goals.
• Funding: Financial support is provided for formal and informal training. Eligible costs may include benefits such as tuition, texts and related expenses such as travel, dependent care and replacement labour.
• Follow-up: Ongoing communication with a CASS Case Manager will allow you to receive individualized assistance as you implement your Learning Plan.

Eligibility

You (and your spouse) may be eligible to participate if:

• You are an established producer with gross farm sales of at least $10,000 per year, and a net family income of less than $45,000 based on a three-year average; or
• You are a beginning farmer who has owned/operated a farm for less than 6 years or intends to establish a farm that has (or will have) $10,000 in annual gross farm sales.
• In either case, you must be out of school for two years and not receiving Employment Insurance benefits for training.

Maximum benefit level:

For a family with an average net income of:

• Less than $35,000 the maximum benefit available is $16,000.
• $35,001 to $40,000 the maximum benefit available is $12,000.
• $40,001 to $45,000 the maximum benefit available is $8,000.

For more information:

Call toll free: 1-888-887-7977
Email: cass@agr.gov.sk.ca

Call the SMA Regional Office: