Advances in genetics, agronomics, and technology have resulted in an upward trend in yields for crops grown in Manitoba.
To reflect the changes, yield trending will be a part of Manitoba’s AgriInsurance for the 2020 growing season.
A positive trend has been identified in eight crops including red spring wheat, canola, soybeans, grain corn, oats, white pea beans, irrigated processing potatoes and hemp grain.
Probable yields, used to determine insurance coverage, will increase for these crops as a result of implementing yield trending.
Total insurance coverage will increase to about 3 billion dollars, with producers paying premiums similar to 2019.
In a press release, additional changes to the program for the 2020 growing season were mentioned:
• MASC will offer the contract price option (CPO) on canola, including specialty oil canola, and field peas. Manitoba producers have been requesting greater coverage for higher-value crops for several years. This option will allow producers to blend the price from their contracted production with the base AgriInsurance dollar value (weighted by production) to better reflect expected market prices.
• Fall rye will be introduced as an eligible crop for organic insurance.
• Producers will now be eligible for a reseed benefit on annual novel crops based on 25 per cent of the per acre dollar coverage selected for their novel crops. If the annual novel crop fails to establish by June 20, a reseed benefit will be available on those acres. Producers may select from three different coverage levels: $150, $200 or $250 per acre.
• Forages used for extended-season grazing are now eligible for wildlife damage compensation. This includes crops used for in-field bale and swath grazing, as well as standing annual crops intended for grazing (e.g. corn). Producers will receive 45 per cent of the value of the loss caused by big game and waterfowl during the extended grazing period.
• Strawberries are now an eligible crop under the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program. Compensation will be available for plant loss, as well as production loss.
Manitoba has the highest level of AgriInsurance participation in the country.
Over 90 per cent of annual crop acres are enrolled and more than 8000 farms are registered.
The total governments’ share of AgriInsurance premium for 2020-21 is expected to be $125.01 million.
AgriInsurance is provided for over 70 different annual crops and forages during establishment and production, as well as for the inability to seed land in the spring due to wet conditions.
