Manitoba farmers will continue to benefit from expanded, comprehensive coverage through AgriInsurance in the upcoming year, Federal Agriculture Minister, Lawrence MacAulay, and Manitoba Agriculture Minister, Ralph Eichler, announced at Ag Days today.
The ministers noted total AgriInsurance coverage for 2018 is expected to be $2.7 billion on 9.4 million acres in Manitoba, with premium rates down by an average of seven per cent, as compared to last year.
Program changes for the 2018 growing season include:
- creating a permanent insurance area to protect more than 200,000 acres of soybeans grown in areas previously eligible for coverage only on a test basis;
- changing the soybean premium rate calculation to put more emphasis on actual losses, which will benefit producers and governments by lowering premiums;
- removing the pre-harvest claim deductible for corn and soybeans, which will provide equitable coverage for all major crops;
- introducing a novel crops insurance program for new and non-traditional crops (quinoa for example), which is expected to include 10,000 acres and represent about $1.8 million in coverage;
- offering separate coverage for Canada Northern Hard Red Wheat, to represent higher expected values and yields than other varieties in the former feed wheat category; and
- continuing coverage for feed wheat and other wheat varieties under one category called "other spring wheat".
Source : Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada