Archived News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

January 21, 2015

Manitoba Government Creates New Task Force to Improve Agricultural Risk Management Programs



The Manitoba government is establishing a new task force to evaluate existing programs and policies used to help farmers recover from climate-related challenges such as flooding, with the goal of identifying more comprehensive and sustainable programs, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced today.

“Manitoba’s farmers have told us existing agricultural programs can’t adequately address these climate-related challenges, especially as they become more common,” said Minister Kostyshyn.  “We are following through on our commitment to review existing programs and consider options that will be more predictable, comprehensive and sustainable for farmers and governments.  I look forward to hearing from Manitobans as part of the task force’s work on this important issue.”

The Agriculture Risk Management Review Task Force will be chaired by Arborg-area farmer Bill Uruski and include five additional members to represent the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, a financial institution, farmers and others with expertise in this area.

Its work will include:

  • holding a series of public consultations to receive input from Manitoba farmers, organizations and other stakeholders;
  • evaluating the effectiveness of current risk management tools, including production insurance, to help manage and recover from climate-related challenges;
  • identifying gaps in existing policies and programs;
  • recommending new options to improve farmers’ ability to manage climate-related risks; and
  • identifying ways to shift government support from ad hoc assistance to planned and predictable programs.

“Living in the Interlake, we have also experienced many of the same challenges that farmers living in other parts of the province have faced in recent years,” said Uruski.  “It’s certainly timely to undertake a review of all available business risk management tools, while seeking input and advice from farmers, insurance policyholders and other stakeholders.”

The Manitoba government first committed to review existing agricultural risk management tools and their ability to assist farmers dealing with climate-related challenges in the most recent throne speech, the minister said.

Public consultations are expected to begin this spring, and a final report with recommendations to government will be submitted by the end of the year, the minister said.

Information about the task force’s public consultations will be available at www.gov.mb.ca/agricultureand at local MAFRD GO Offices once dates and locations are finalized.

Farmers dealing with flooding, excess moisture and other climate-related challenges can currently access AgriInsurance, AgriStability and AgriInvest programs to help mitigate income and production losses.  The 2014 Canada-Manitoba Forage Shortfall and Transportation Assistance Initiative was also put in place to assist livestock producers who had to buy and move feed for the winter months due to an extremely wet growing season.  It was funded under the AgriRecovery framework, a federal-provincial initiative that allows governments to respond to unforeseen disasters that cause extraordinary costs for producers and where the required assistance is beyond what is available under government programs.

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