Ontario farmers buying production insurance for forage crops this year can use data from up to three rainfall reporting stations in their coverage.
Agricorp, which manages Ontario’s provincial farm programs and production insurance, said Thursday its move will allow forage growers enrolled in the forage rainfall plan to choose stations closer to the spots where their crops are grown.
The forage rainfall plan covers eligible growers for insufficient rainfall during May, June, July and August, and/or for excess rainfall during first cut.
Agricorp gets its rainfall data from a weather service using a network of 350 rainfall collection stations. Until this year, a forage grower would have to choose one of those stations and base 100 per cent of his or her production insurance coverage on that station’s data.
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This year, however, the same producer can pick up to three stations in the geographical township where he or she grows forage, or in an adjacent geographical township. If neither township has a station, the grower can pick the stations closest to the forage stand being insured, Agricorp said.
For example, a grower can choose to allocate 70 per cent of coverage to one station and 30 per cent to another, making the coverage more reflective of the rainfall where the forage is grown.
Agricorp said its renewal packages, which were mailed late last month, will include a list of rainfall stations.
Producers interested in the forage rainfall plan have until May 1 to contact Agricorp, the agency said. — AGCanada.com Network
