5. (1) In this section, “supporter”, with respect to a farm organization, means, (a) any farming business that has made a payment under section 21 (1) of the Act to the organization and has not requested a refund of the payment under subsection 21 (8) of the Act, whether or not the farming business is a member of the organization, and (b) any person or entity that is not a farming business required to file a farming business registration form under section 2 of the Act and that is a member of the organization. O. Reg. 50/14, s. 5 (1). (2) A farm organization qualifies for accreditation if it meets the following criteria: 1. It is incorporated under a general or special Act of the Legislature. 2. Persons sitting on its board of directors have all been elected, except for persons who were appointed to fill a vacancy or in other exceptional circumstances. 3. Its purpose is to represent persons carrying on all types of farming businesses and it is willing to represent a farming business no matter what types of crops, livestock, poultry or other agricultural products may be produced by the farming business. 4. The fee required for membership in the farm organization, or for a class of membership in the organization, consists of the payment to the farm organization of the amount that is payable under subsection 21 (1) of the Act and prescribed under subsection 3 (2). 5. At least 250 farming businesses that hold registration numbers under the Act have, i. become supporters of the farm organization, or ii. in the case of a farm organization that is not accredited, paid a fee of at least $195 to the farm organization. 6. The majority of its supporters are farming businesses described in clause (a) of the definition of “supporter” in subsection (1). 7. It has at least 12 local branches located in Ontario and contributes to its local branches at least 10 percent of the part of its gross revenue for any given year that is received from payments made under section 21 of the Act and is determined before taxes, excluding any refunds that may be paid under subsection 21 (8) of the Act. 8. Each local branch of the farm organization meets the following requirements: i. It represents at least 10 farming businesses described in paragraph 5. ii. Persons sitting on its board of directors have all been elected, except for persons who were appointed to fill a vacancy or in other exceptional circumstances. iii. It holds an annual general meeting. iv. It is entitled to send a representative to any meeting of the farm organization to which local branches are invited to send representatives. 9. It has an established process that allows farming businesses that are supporters of the farm organization and have a registration number under the Act to make submissions to the farm organization on any relevant issue, and that requires the farm organization to consider the submissions and respond. 10. Subject to subsection (3), it has entered into a written agreement with the Minister and with other farm organizations to provide special funding to the francophone organization that is eligible for special funding under section 12 or 13 of the Act. 11. It prepares audited financial statements in accordance with subsection (4) and makes them available to the public within 30 days of its annual general meetings and, if the Tribunal has held any hearings under the Act, it submitted a copy of its most recent audited financial statements to the Tribunal before the hearing began. 12. In the case of an accredited farm organization, it has developed a written service standard setting out the rules applicable to applications for, and the timing and processing of, refunds under subsection 21 (8) of the Act and the service standard is available to the public upon request. 13. Provides education or training in agricultural matters. 14. Provides advice and analysis to governments, administrative tribunals or advisory bodies concerning agricultural issues and the development of programs or policies that are of interest to persons carrying on farming businesses. O. Reg. 50/14, s. 5 (1); O. Reg. 490/17, s. 5. (3) The requirement to enter into an agreement described in paragraph 10 of subsection (2) does not apply to a farm organization if that farm organization, (a) is not accredited at the time it applies to the Tribunal for accreditation; and (b) has agreed in writing to enter into an agreement described in paragraph 10 of subsection (2) promptly upon receiving its accreditation. O. Reg. 50/14, s. 5 (2). (4) An audited financial statement shall include: 1. The total amount received by the farm organization under subsection 21 (3) of the Act in the year. 2. The number of refunds paid by the farm organization under subsection 21 (8) of the Act and the total amount of those refunds. 3. The amount contributed by the farm organization to its local branches. 4. Financial statements and an auditor’s report prepared by an auditor in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. O. Reg. 50/14, s. 5 (1).