Feb. 29 is the deadline for buying hay insurance in Alberta for 2004.
Because the last day of February falls on a Sunday, Agricultural Financial Services Corp. offices, which administer the program, will accept applications until 4:30 p.m. March 1.
Hay insurance is a good way to protect the feed source, said Alberta agriculture minister Shirley McClellan in a News release
news.
There are several hay insurance options to choose from. Farmers can insure against drought, excess moisture, hail, wind, frost, insects, plant diseases, wildlife, winterkill, fire caused by lightning in the field and unfavourable weather that prevents harvest.
Hay insurance was introduced as an option to Alberta farmers in the late 1970s. Since its introduction, only about 20 percent of producers, mainly from eastern Alberta, use the program, said Merle Jacobson, a senior manager with AFSC.
Payments are based on production, not quality, so few producers in the western part of the province, where production is not generally a concern, buy hay insurance.
