Sheila Bautz, Special to the Herald
This Agricultural crop season, farmers and ranchers are facing draught conditions with various seeded commodities. The challenging dry soil conditions are directly affecting various 2025 farm crop yields for human and livestock consumption. Due to a federal and provincial government effort, the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) is implementing measures to offer Agricultural producers support to provide financial relief.
“Many cattle producers throughout the province are facing potential feed shortages,” said Chad Ross, Chair of the Saskatchewan Cattle Association. “The recent rains may help with some of the later seeded crops and possible pasture rebound in some areas. Unfortunately, the hay crop was already burnt off in several places.”
In a joint effort, the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, and Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture, Daryl Harrison, are stipulating conditions to SCIC.
“In multiple areas throughout the province, our livestock producers are facing challenges from this year’s dry conditions,” said Daryl Harrison, Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture. “There is a need to quickly adapt to best support producers’ timely, on-farm decisions.”
A yield threshold (YT) is a measurement of the benchmark that a seeded crop will produce to return a profit. There are minimum requirements that are in place, and when the minimum YT is not met due to external forces and circumstances out of a producer’s control, it is not economically feasible to proceed with harvesting that crop. The expenses outweigh the potential revenue.
SCIC is now implementing what is known as the double low yield appraisal process. This process encourages acres with low-yielding eligible crops to be diverted to create an additional grazing area. This includes allowing the feed to be baled or to become silage. Silage results when grasses and greens are cut, but not dried, before being stored as winter feed for livestock, such as cattle.
“Writing off some crops through doubling the low yield threshold will provide cattle producers an option for feeding their animals they didn’t previously have,” said Ross. “The SCA thanks Ministers Harrison and MacDonald, along with the governments for moving quickly on this.”
Due to both the federal and provincial Ministers of Agriculture, the SCIC is doubling the low yield pre-determined appraisal threshold values.
“I’ve spoken with livestock and crop producers in Saskatchewan who are worried about the impact that dry conditions could have this year,” said Heath MacDonald, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Changing the yield threshold will give them some breathing room, so they can make the best decisions for their operations.”
The low yield appraisal threshold allows insurance holders to salvage their eligible farming crops by converting it to feed for livestock. In such cases, the crop yield is reduced to zero in a Crop Insurance claim. In return, the farmers will not be negatively impacted in their future individual crop insurance coverage.
“We appreciate governments recognizing and meeting the need to support access to feed,” said Jeff Yorga, President of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. “There are producers struggling with drought conditions. They are assessing and adjusting crop and feed requirements. This action taken helps our producers make those important decisions in a timely fashion. As we move forward, I strongly encourage producers to directly connect with each other to coordinate access to any additional feed made available through this change.”
Crop producers must contact their local SCIC office before transforming a failed crop into livestock due to draught conditions. Another stipulation for doubling the low yield appraisal on seeded crops is that the failed crops must be diverted to livestock feed prior to receiving compensation for the low yielding plants. The crops are not allowed to be left until harvest or left to be harvested. They must be converted into livestock feed.
“This announcement is welcome news for our livestock producers,” said Bill Humber, President of Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM). “As in past years, it will help address feed shortages so many ranchers are experiencing. Timely support like this is critical to ensuring the sustainability of the sector in this province.”
The AgriStability Program provides support to farm operations and food producers in the event of production losses and the increase of expenses that accumulate. In many cases, additional expense covered by AgriStability include securing additional feed for livestock. The program offers options to access Interim Benefits for timely financial support and access to funds prior to the completion of a fiscal year to cover farming costs.
The extension for producers to enroll in the AgriStability program is July 31, 2025.
“Swift action from government has provided a vital lifeline to many Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers amid this year’s early challenges,” said Bill Prybylski, President of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS). “The quick adjustment of support measures reflects a strong commitment to agriculture and sets a high standard for proactive, responsive risk management programming. Producers across the province feel heard, supported and valued.”
Additional programs are available to assist farmers and ranchers. The SCIC recognizes that producers are concerned and stressed by the reduced hay and pasture production to feed livestock.
“In 2021 and 2023, this same initiative was successfully implemented, resulting in over half a million acres of additional low yield crop redirected to feed,” said Minister Harrison. “Once again, livestock producers are encouraged to work directly with neighbouring crop producers to access additional feed.”
The Forage Rainfall Insurance Program is available to insure pasture acres experiencing the impact of dry conditions. Eligible producers will receive financial payments beginning on July 15, 2025, to assist with providing economic relief. The funds help offset financial pressure due the impact of below average rainfall. The remaining draught induced claims will automatically be distributed by August 15, 2025. All funding is calculated strictly based upon weather station data.
The Crop Insurance program is supported in unison by the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP). The federal-provincial-producer cost-shared program focuses on helping producers manage production and quality losses.
To assist with finding positive alternatives for farming stress management, the Saskatchewan Farm Stress Line is available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. The toll-free number is 1-800-667-4442 with no call display to identify callers. The community-based agency is a non-profit organization that is answered by the Mobile Crisis Servies Regina.
For more information, farmers and ranchers can call 1-888-935-0000, contact their local SCIC office and visit the website.
