Forage shortfalls in Ontario following a hot, dry 2012 growing season have prompted Ontario’s ag program delivery agency to review its production insurance program’s forage rainfall plan.
Agricorp said Friday it will work with industry and the provincial ag ministry to “explore ways to provide better coverage for producers” and “identify possible improvements.”
The current forage rainfall plan is meant to use rainfall as an indicator of quantity and/or quality of forage. It offers coverage for “insufficient” rainfall during May, June, July and August, or for “excess” rainfall during first cut.
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Under the plan, claims may be paid if measured rainfall at the station a producer chooses during the insured period is less than 80 per cent of the long-term average rainfall for the area.
Agricorp and the ministry have set up an industry advisory committee to review the existing forage plan and expect related discussions to continue through to June, the agency said.
Recommendations for possible changes to forage coverage are then to be forwarded to Agricorp’s board of directors and the ag ministry.
Forage producers who’d like to offer input on possible improvements are asked to complete a survey online or contact one of the organizations involved in the committee, including the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Forage Council, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Cattlemen’s Association and Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
Then-agriculture minister Ted McMeekin last year pledged an “evaluation” of the plan, which Agricorp said also “aligns with a national strategy for improving forage and pasture coverage.”
A federal/provincial AgriRecovery program, meant to support affected livestock producers needing to truck in feed, recently saw its feed delivery and program application deadlines extended to June 1.
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