BRANDON, Man. (Staff) – Manitoba’s agriculture minister denied a farm lobby group’s request to extend seeding deadlines for crop insurance.
Keystone Agricultural Producers wanted farmers who did not make mid-June planting deadlines to still be eligible for insurance on 50 percent of long-term average yields.
The 50 percent level is called disaster coverage under Manitoba’s new crop insurance program. The federal and provincial governments pay the premiums for this level of coverage.
Craig Douglas, general manager of KAP, said Manitoba’s agriculture minister Harry Enns sent a letter saying deadlines had not been changed in the past. He said the minister was also concerned about the legalities of changing crop insurance contracts.
