An emergency fund is a good solution. In Quebec, we have the Green Fund and now the Blue Fund, which farmers take part in.
Flexibility is a word that has been used many times. Since the pandemic, we have been asked to be flexible. An emergency disaster fund would be useful and 2023 was a disaster for farmers.
The process for the other assistance programs requiring files analysis needs to be set in motion sooner. Take AgriStability: farmers applying for AgriStability assistance can obtain an interim payment, but for that the accountant has to prepare financial statements and send them to Farm Credit Canada. That takes time and provides access to only 75% of the payment. It is not fast enough. Let's not forget that for farmers, everything is payable within 30 days.
In short: yes, an emergency fund would be a solution.