Ontario livestock groups laud provincial crop insurance changes

Saturday, May 30, 2015

by SUSAN MANN

Livestock groups are applauding the Ontario government’s passage of legislation earlier this week expanding the types of agricultural products that can be included in crop insurance plans.

Bob Gordanier, Beef Farmers of Ontario president, says by email changes to the Crop Insurance Act “will provide new opportunities for the beef industry to develop innovative solutions to reduce producer related risks.”

The Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency’s board is looking to see what possibilities exist for crop insurance in sheep, says chair Dennis Fischer.  The board will be looking into this over the next month.

Risk management is very important for Ontario’s sheep producers, he notes. During the next couple months “we’re going to be asking producers for their input as to how they would like to see the program structured.”

The Agricultural Insurance Act 2015 will give the province more flexibility to work with industry groups “to develop potential future production insurance plans for more sectors,” such as apiculture or pork, according to a May 27 provincial agriculture ministry news release.

In 2013, more than 14,000 producers insured crops, representing more than five million acres, under Ontario’s production insurance program. Production insurance is currently available for almost 90 crops in Ontario, including grains, oilseeds and certain fruits and vegetables, the release says.

Production insurance helps farmers manage losses due to events beyond their control, such as weather, pests and diseases. BF