Saskatchewan’s crop insurance program for 2014 will include improvements to coverage for corn crops.
A pilot yield-loss program in east-central and southeastern Saskatchewan will be conducted. As well, the establishment benefit feature has been expanded to include corn at $65 per acre.
Provincial agriculture minister Lyle Stewart announced program details today in Melville at the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. head office.
Insurance coverage for 2014 is $162 per acre, on average, or the fourth highest in history. Premiums will average $7.47 per acre, about 25 percent lower than last year. The lower coverage and premiums are a result of lower forecasted crop prices.
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Other changes for this year include the addition of durum and barley for yield trending. This practice acknowledges agronomic advancements and individual historical yields to improve coverage.
For durum, average yields increase 8.6 percent while barley yields will go up 3.5 percent on average.
Yield trending will continue for canola, fall rye, winter wheat, hard red spring wheat, hard white spring wheat and oats. Since it was introduced, the feature has resulted in a 20 percent increase in average canola coverage, 15 percent for oats and 10 percent for hard red spring wheat.
Another pilot for 2014 is a bee mortality insurance program, which will cover bees lost over the winter from natural causes outside producers’ control.
Enhancements to this year’s program include increasing the base grade for flax, adding field peas to the contract price option and expanding the number of crops eligible for vegetable insurance.
“The 2014 crop insurance program includes improvements to assist Saskatchewan’s farmers and ranchers as they look toward a new growing season,” Stewart said.
The deadline to apply for, cancel or make changes to contracts is March 31.
The corporation has launched a new online CropConnect system that allows customers to complete their business online from either a computer or mobile device. They will be able to add land to a contract, fill out forms, calculate premium and coverage levels, report production data and file claims using the new system.
Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said producers pay 40 percent of the premium for most programs, while the federal government pays 36 percent and Saskatchewan pays 24 percent.
