Over 90 Per Cent of Insured Forage Rainfall Insurance Program Acres in Saskatchewan Receive Payout for 2023

Released on September 5, 2023

Today, the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan announced a record-breaking level of payments under the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) Forage Rainfall Insurance Program. 

"While producers face ongoing risks related to climate change and extreme weather events, the support of Business Risk Management programs provides some level of stability against income and production loss," said Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay. "This record high level of payments to producers is a testament to the need for, and value of, the AgriInsurance Program."

"There is additional support for our livestock producers, as over 90 per cent of insured acres enrolled in the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program received a payment," Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit said. "This is additional cash flow to participating Crop Insurance customers, in reaction to the dry conditions. We are seeing this Program respond to producers needs where precipitation shortages result in feed and pasture shortfalls. I encourage producers to continually reassess options available through the full suite of Business Risk Management Programs." 

Total 2023 Program indemnities paid are $60.4 million, across SCIC's 17 forage risk zones. While conditions vary across the province with scattered distribution of moisture, the 2023 growing season realized generally drier than average conditions in several areas of the province. Payments are most heavily concentrated in the southwest and west central regions of the province. 

Forage Rainfall Insurance Program payments were issued to participating producers on Friday, August 18, 2023. Crop Insurance customers do not have to register weather-based program claims with SCIC, as indemnities are calculated automatically, based on information from the weather stations. Claim payments are based strictly on the precipitation data gathered at the customer selected weather stations and the insurance selections of each individual producer. Given the dry conditions, customers are reminded that Fire insurance remains in place for insured Forage Rainfall Insurance Program acres until March 31, 2024.

The Forage Rainfall Insurance Program is available on native and tame acres for hay or grazing, protecting pasture and hayland in the event of below average seasonal rainfall at the producer's selected weather station. For more information on the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program, visit https://www.scic.ca/crop-insurance/program-overview/weather-based-coverage/forage-rainfall-insurance-program. 

Crop Insurance is a federal-provincial-producer cost-shared Business Risk Management Program that helps producers manage production and quality losses. Support for the program is provided by the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

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