New Study Highlights Economic Impact and Funding Shortfall of Ontario's RMP Program

Dec 13, 2022

The Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition (OASC) has announced the release of a new study, Evaluation of the Impact of the Risk Management Program/Self-Directed Risk Management Program on Ontario Farmers and the Economy, undertaken by Harry Cummings and Associates and Agri-Metrics Consulting. The study examined the economic impact that Ontario’s Risk Management Program (RMP) and Self-Directed Risk Management Program (SDRM) have on Ontario farms, farm production and the broader Ontario economy.

Highlights of the study include:
Every dollar spent on RMP/SDRM leads to $2.01 - $3.60 return on investment. In 2020, this led to an increase in economic output of between $282.6 million and $506.2 million.
RMP/SDRM helps support more than 47,000 full-time, part-time, and seasonal jobs.
More than 95% of participating farmers agree that not having access to this program would negatively impact their farm operations.
RMP/SDRM support allows farmers to mitigate input cost volatility, and enables many participating farmers to increase their investments in innovation, equipment and labour.
On average for the 2016 - 2020 years, program funding only covered 40.4% of calculated insurance benefits for participating farmers due to the current funding cap.

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Video: PRRS Eradication Strategies - Dr. DeBuse and Dr. Tousignant

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Neil DeBuse from Kalmbach Feeds and Dr. Steve Tousignant from Vaxxinova US discuss PRRS management strategies, recombination risks, whole genome sequencing, and the role of autogenous immunization programs in swine systems. They highlight practical approaches to improving immunity, reducing outbreaks, and advancing PRRS control across production systems. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Being PRRS negative sooner is a real key for eradication because every additional positive week increases production losses and viral exposure risks." - Dr. Neil DeBuse

Meet the guest: Dr. Neil DeBuse is a veterinarian at Kalmbach Feeds with more than 30 years of experience in swine health and production. His work focuses on PRRS control, biosecurity, immunity, and improving production stability across commercial swine systems in the United States and internationally.

Dr. Steve Tousignant is Director of the Swine Business Unit and Technical Services Veterinarian at Vaxxinova US, with a DVM and PhD from the University of Minnesota. His experience combines epidemiology, technical services, and practical immunization strategies designed to support consistent herd performance and long-term production stability. Don’t miss the chance to be part of the Swine Inner Circle!