Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) is welcoming the release by the Manitoba government of a report that examined how producers manage risk with respect to their forage needs, including their decision making processes around the use of forage insurance products available through Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC).

“Beef producers have often raised concerns about gaps or challenges with the current forage insurance offerings that limit their responsiveness and which discourage them from taking out policies,” said MBP President Dianne Riding. “This review was a valuable opportunity for MBP as well as our members to provide feedback on what is or isn’t working with the existing insurance offerings, as well as what would be valuable in terms of program changes.”

MBP says there are a number of recommendations arising from the report will work with officials from both MASC and Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, and other stakeholders to help ensure that the suite of insurance offerings are as responsive as possible to producers’ needs.

Also, MBP believes it will be important that insurance programs continue to be evergreen, evolving as new production methods and forage and crop offerings emerge.