The federal and Manitoba governments have unveiled new support measures to assist livestock producers facing drought-related challenges in the province.
Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) will provide support measures through its AgriInsurance program, improving cash flow for livestock producers needing to secure additional feed, said a provincial news release Wednesday.
For claim calculation purposes, MASC will be applying a quality adjustment factor to reduce yield appraisals by 40% 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:
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 release said.
“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.”
In Manitoba’s Interlake Region, the rural municipality of Coldwell has declared a state of agricultural disaster due to drought, while the RMs of Woodlands and St. Laurent have declared states of agricultural emergency.
For more information, farmers can contact an MASC Service Centre at https://masc.mb.ca/masc.nsf/contact.html or visit https://masc.mb.ca/masc.nsf/index.html.
