Crop insurance rates drop for 2011

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Last year’s trouble free yields in Ontario’s fields are having an impact on this year's production insurance rates.

The rates are “mostly slightly lower because we had such a great year in 2010,” says Debbie Brander, a senior industry specialist with Agricorp. The provincial crown corporation administers agricultural risk management programs.

Brander says Agricorp paid $1.47 million in claims for last year’s corn crop and $4.25 million for soybean crop claims. She notes that in 2009 Agricorp paid out $18.6 million for corn claims and $12.9 million for soybean claims. So last year’s total claims were “significantly lower,” because of the good weather, she says.

Also new this year is an organic corn plan available to certified organic growers. The plan charges a higher rate than the one for conventional corn. “That’s because the claim price for organic corn is quite a bit higher to reflect the market price that growers receive,” Brander says. The market price of organic corn is almost double that for conventional corn. “So that’s represented as well in the premium rates.”

Eligible corn varieties include all commercial corn grown for grain and silage.  Sweet corn, popcorn, seed corn and sorghum are not included.

Organic growers can also obtain insurance under conventional corn plans.

Agricorp began insuring organic soybeans in 2006 and organic wheat and spelt in 2008.

The application deadline for most spring seeded grains and oilseeds is May 1 and April 1 for some vegetable crops. Crop specific information about rates and deadlines can be found on Agricorp’s website. http://www.agricorp.com/en-ca/Pages/Default.aspx BF