The Saskatchewan government is changing its Wildlife Damages Compensation Program, but the changes don’t go far enough for some producers.
The program previously covered 80 percent of crop losses, but in October the government announced coverage would increase to 100 percent.
However, some producers say 100 percent crop production coverage takes care of only a small portion of their wildlife damages.
Dean Martens, a cattle farmer near Oxbow, Sask., said wildlife damage has cost him $182,000 in the past 11 months.
The provincial compensation program has given him only a small portion of what he should be owed, he added.
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federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
“They called me yesterday (Dec. 1) and told me that the settlement … was going to be $2,200 and some, but they could only pay 75 percent of that, so I’m going to get $1,800 for my $182,000 loss in the last 11 months,” he said.
Shawn Jaques, executive manager of field operations at Saskatchewan Crop Insurance, said he couldn’t speak about individual cases but added all wildlife damage claims are paid in two payments.
The first payment of 75 percent is based on a third party survey completed in September that determines the approximate cost of crops at that time.
The final 25 percent is based on a six-month average from September to February, again conducted by a third party.
However, Martens said he was told he would receive only the $1,800 payment.
“Mine’s all seed, it’s all done, and there isn’t going to be a change. He said, basically, ‘that’s all you’re going to get,’ that’s what he told me,” Martens said about his conversation with a Saskatchewan Crop Insurance representative.
However, Martens’ biggest loss is due to a change in management practices.
Martens started corn grazing his cattle after taking the Farm Stewardship Program. This practice was successful for about three years before Martens started encountering damage from wildlife.
Two years ago, he discovered damage caused by deer, elk and moose. He was told he wasn’t eligible for compensation.
Last year, he doubled his corn acres to compensate for having to buy hay the previous year, but wildlife ate an entire field of corn.
Martens said he needed to buy 14 bales of hay per day at $100 per bale from Feb. 1 to mid-May to make up for this loss. He also needed to sell his calves earlier than he normally would, resulting in a lower price per head.
He again contacted Saskatchewan Crop Insurance but was told he wasn’t eligible because the program doesn’t cover standing crop after mid-November.
Jaques said this isn’t unusual.
“With corn grazing and swath grazing, typically what we’ll do is … we provide compensation up until when harvest is generally done.
Currently, corn grazing and swath grazing, there’s no provisions in the regulations that allow for that type of compensation over the winter.”
However, he said the program’s regulations probably need to change in light of the new grazing practices.
“The corn grazing and swath grazing is a relatively new practice at this time. I know there are more and more producers using it … but our program doesn’t cover it right now, as it stands. And I guess as agriculture practices change, our program may need some updating.”
To avoid more potential crop damage, Martens seeded corn to make silage, but that meant buying two used mixer wagons, another tractor, straw to mix with the silage and more hay to continue feeding the cattle.
His total of $182,000 in damages includes bills for making silage, buying new equipment, running his equipment, buying hay, buying straw to mix with the silage, losses due to selling calves sooner than desired and the additional chores he and his family must do.
He wouldn’t have had any of these bills, he added, if the compensation program covered corn grazing.
He said Saskatchewan Crop Insurance is misleading producers by not including corn grazing in the compensation program but then claiming that the program pays 100 percent of losses.
“This 100 percent? Why lie to people?” he said. “Tell the truth.”