Some farmers are still harvesting their 2016 crop
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Agricultural Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) announced two temporary changes to help Alberta producers still managing their 2016 crops.
The first change is to AFSC’s recommended seeding dates.
In order to qualify for quality coverage, many crops would have to be seeded by May 31, but due to current conditions in the province, many crops have been given extensions for the 2017 growing season.
“In some of the hardest hit areas it continues to be wet and we understand that,” Chris Dyck, interim vice president with AFSC, told Alberts Agriculture’s radio program Call of the Land. “We’ve looked at the agronomy and the days to maturity and pushed it as far as we could…”
Spring wheat, Argentine canola, flax, mustard, mixed grain, and spring oats can be seeded up to June 5 and still be eligible for coverage.
Polish canola can now be seeded up to June 15.
Spring triticale, spring rye and barley had their seeding dates extended from June 5 to June 15.
AFSC also announced changes to its Unseeded Acreage Benefit. Producers are eligible for the benefit if they’re unable to finish seeding by June 20.
Level 1 dry land coverage increased from $45/acre to $49/acre and Level 2 dry land coverage went up from $95/acre to $108/acre.
Level 3 irrigated land went from $100/acre to $107/acre, and Level 4 irrigated land went from $175/acre to $179/acre.
The benefit amount also depends on whether pre-plant fertilizer has been applied.
About 820,000 acres remain unharvested, according to Alberta Agriculture’s May 9 Crop Conditions Report.