The governments of Canada and Manitoba have announced joint support measures to aid Manitoba’s livestock producers affected by drought conditions.

Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) will provide support measures through its AgriInsurance program, improving cash flow for livestock producers needing to secure additional feed.

“Our livestock producers play a critical role in our food supply and our economy. We need to do everything we can to support them, especially in the face of these dry conditions,” said federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald. “These program changes will ensure producers in Manitoba receive claim payouts faster, so they can source other feed options as quickly as possible.”

For claim calculation purposes, MASC will be applying a quality adjustment factor to reduce yield appraisals by 40 per cent for drought-stricken cereal crops (all varieties of wheat, oats, barley, fall rye, triticale and grain corn) that are converted to livestock feed. This quality adjustment was last implemented in 2021 and contributed to over 100,000 acres of grain crops being converted to livestock feed.

Changes for producers with AgriInsurance coverage on forage and pastures include:

  • deferred premium deductions on payments for forage insurance claims made prior to Oct. 1;
  • partial claim payments on forage insurance and pasture days insurance claims, when feasible; and
  • ability for livestock to graze on insured forages after the first cut without impact on claim calculation.

“We recognize that some of Manitoba’s livestock producers are facing challenging conditions with the lack of precipitation in certain regions of the province,” said Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn. “With pastures drying up and minimal sources of feed for livestock, it is important to give producers the resources they need to maintain their herds. These measures will help to improve cash flow for Manitoba’s livestock producers and provide additional options to access feed.”

MASC will also offer lending clients an opportunity to defer loan payments and will provide guidance on appropriate options to finance feed purchases, if needed, the ministers added.

The AgriInsurance program is a business risk management program for Manitoba farmers to protect against production shortfalls and quality losses caused by natural perils. In the case of extreme weather events that impact production such as drought or excess moisture, the AgriInsurance program provides predictable coverage producers can depend on when planning for the upcoming growing season.