The Farm Debt Mediation Act (French: Loi sur la médiation en matière d’endettement agricole, S.C. 1997, c. 21) ("FDMA") is an act of the Parliament of Canada that enables a debt advisory service to insolvent farmers by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as well as certain protective provisions available to help facilitate mediation with creditors while allowing such farmers to continue their operations.
[1] The Act's structure of exercising authority through a network of appointed boards was also viewed as being too decentralized.
[1][8] In place of the former Farm Debt Review Boards, administrators are either appointed or engaged by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to administer the Act,[b] and they can enter into agreements to engage mediators and experts.
In Manitoba, the process is characterized thus:[20] The Act's mandatory requirements have been strictly interpreted by the courts.
[1][27] However, a stay cannot affect the appointment already in effect of an interim receiver for the purposes of preserving the estate of a bankrupt for the benefit of creditors, as it is not a proceeding for the recovery of a debt.