Insured Saskatchewan farmers who can’t get to fields for seeding due to impassable roads are up for federal/provincial compensation.
“Excess moisture has had a devastating impact on farm land and roads this spring,” provincial Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud said in a joint release Thursday. “This is a practical, common-sense change to crop insurance which I hope will help producers who are unable to access their fields because their roads have been washed out.”
Compensation for producers who qualify will be paid out through Saskatchewan Crop Insurance’s (SCIC) unseeded acreage benefit.
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“We appreciate this program change because RM councils are doing everything they can to make all their roads passable, but we know with a spring like this some roads will be impossible to repair in time for seeding,” David Marit, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, said in the release.
SCIC’s farmer customers have until June 25 to register unseeded acreage claims.
SCIC’s unseeded acreage benefit has otherwise been boosted to $70 per eligible acre, up from $50, for land that’s too wet to seed or is inaccessible due to excess moisture.
Eligible acres are calculated using a formula based on seeding intensity, insurance intensity and a five per cent deductible. Producers who can’t get on land due to excess moisture should contact their local SCIC office.
“Unpredictable events”
Crown ag financing agency Farm Credit Canada announced Wednesday it will offer its customer support program to Saskatchewan farmers affected by excess moisture, specifically noting the Yorkton, Weyburn and Carlyle areas in the province’s southeast.
FCC noted it rolls out its customer support program, which adds a level of flexibility to farmers’ loan payments, during “unpredictable events” such as the BSE or avian flu crises. The agency also offered the program starting last month to customers in Manitoba hit by flooding and/or excess moisture.
“We know that some areas have been more impacted than others, and that every customer is unique,” FCC CEO Greg Stewart said in a release. “Providing flexible solutions that are tailored to each situation is a cornerstone of our program.”
Customers are asked to contact an FCC representative to discuss their individual situations and the options available.
