Pick plans for fresh vegetables

Transcription

1 Production Insurance Plan Overview Fresh Market Vegetable Production Pick plans for fresh vegetables Connecting producers with programs

2 What you need to know about protecting your fresh market vegetables under Production Insurance. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, Agricorp works with partners to contribute to a vibrant and sustainable agriculture industry. We deliver programs that help producers manage risk and remain financially secure. About PRODUCTION INSURANCE Agricorp administers Production Insurance (PI) on behalf of the Government of Ontario and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Production Insurance is available for 90 commercially grown crops in Ontario in the following sectors: Forage Fruit and honey Grains Oilseeds Vegetables Seed corn, sugar beets, hemp and tobacco About this publication The purpose of this overview is to provide general information about the fresh market vegetable plans available under Production Insurance. It includes plan-specific features, customers responsibilities, and general deadlines. This plan overview contains general information only and does not represent an insurance contract. Information contained within it is subject to change. Refer to the following for additional information about the PI plan for fresh vegetable crops: 1. Contract of Insurance 2. Production Insurance information sheets for the current plan year 3. Production Insurance documents: Pepper Salvage Benefit FMV-AL Intended Crop Planting Sheet FMV-AL Grading Standards FMV-AL Insurable Values and Abandonment Thresholds For copies of these documents, visit agricorp.com or call Agricorp at Plan overviews are also available for the following crops: Grain and oilseed production Honey production Tree fruit and grape production Processing vegetables production Seed corn production Strawberry production

3 Table of contents SECTION I: Overview... 2 Why should I have Production Insurance?... 2 How do I get PI coverage?... 2 What types of insurance coverage are available?... 3 Which crops are covered under each plan?... 4 What are my responsibilities?... 6 SECTION II: Yield-based vegetable plans... 8 What are the plan details?... 8 How is PI coverage determined? Evan Farm Example I: Calculating AFY for new customers Evan Farm Example II: Yield buffering Evan Farm Example III: Determining guaranteed production How are PI premiums determined? Evan Farm Example IV: Calculating discount or surcharge Evan Farm Example V: Calculating annual premium What happens when a crop is damaged? Evan Farm Example VI: Calculating a production claim Evan Farm Example VII: Calculating a USAB claim Evan Farm Example VIII: Calculating a reseeding benefit claim Evan Farm Example IX: Calculating a pepper salvage benefit claim SECTION III: Dollar-value vegetable plans What are the plan details? How is PI coverage determined? Lynwood Enterprises Example I: Determining guaranteed production How are PI premiums determined? Lynwood Enterprises Example II: Calculating annual premium What happens when a crop is damaged? Lynwood Enterprises Example III: Calculating a production claim Lynwood Enterprises Example IV: Calculating a reseeding benefit claim SECTION IV: Fresh market vegetable acreage loss plan What are the plan details? Leigh Acres Example I: Choosing insurable values How is PI coverage determined? Leigh Acres Example II: Calculating total insurable value How are PI premiums determined? Leigh Acres Example III: Calculating annual premium What happens when a crop is damaged? Types of claims Leigh Acres Example IV: Calculating a special protection claim Leigh Acres Example V: Calculating an emergency measures claim Leigh Acres Example VI: Calculating an abandonment claim SECTION V: How do I resolve a PI dispute? Appendix A: Comparison of plan types

4 SECTION I: Overview Why should I have Production Insurance? As a producer, you have to deal with many factors that are beyond your control. Things like adverse weather, disease, wildlife, and insect infestations can have a serious impact on your production and your income. Production Insurance (PI) adds a measure of predictability to an unpredictable business. It protects your business from yield reductions and crop losses caused by insured perils. More than 16,000 Ontario producers with more than five million acres of farmland enjoy the financial security provided by PI. Production Insurance helps you: Maintain your cash flow in poor crop years with claim payments that compensate you for crop damage or low yields Manage your operation with a more predictable cash flow Provide collateral required to secure loans Stabilize your AgriStability program reference margin over time Gain affordable peace-of-mind by paying tax-deductible premiums that are cost-shared with government The AgriStability and PI connection AgriStability, which protects your farm against large margin declines, and PI are complementary programs that address different risks faced by Ontario producers. Participating in both AgriStability and PI lets you maximize the benefits of government risk management programs available to you: PI claim payments count as income in calculating your AgriStability reference margin Depending on weather and/or market conditions, in a given year you could receive an AgriStability benefit, a PI claim or both. How do I get PI coverage? New applications If this is your first time applying, contact Agricorp at An Agricorp representative will then visit you to review your coverage and claim price options and complete your application. Renewals If you already have PI coverage, a renewal notice will be sent to you in February that outlines your coverage based on your previous year s policy. See What are my responsibilities? on page 6 for application deadlines, coverage changes, or coverage cancellation. 2

5 What types of insurance coverage are available? There are two basic types of Production Insurance for fresh market vegetables: 1. Total production coverage 2. Fresh market vegetable acreage loss (FMV-AL) A single crop cannot be insured under more than one type of plan. Total production coverage Total production coverage insures the total planted acres of a given crop. If your actual yield is less than your guaranteed level of production, a production claim may be paid on the shortfall. Total production coverage offers these overall advantages: Multiple benefits Claim payments for incremental losses on the total acres grown (payment size depends on coverage level option selected) Production Insurance offers two types of total production plans to choose from: Yield-based vegetable plans Your coverage is based on comparing your actual yields against an average of your historical yields for each individual crop. Advantages of this plan include: Multiple benefits: - Production claim - Unseeded acreage benefit - Reseeding benefit - Salvage benefit (bell and banana peppers only) Coverage based on your own growing experience Crop-specific coverage levels, claim prices, and premium rates Buffering to smooth out extreme yield conditions Potential for a premium discount, depending on how your claim history compares to the history of the plan Dollar-value vegetable plans Your coverage is based on a dollar value per acre that you select for each individual crop. Historical yields are not collected. Advantages of this plan include: Multiple benefits: - Production claim - Reseeding benefit Crop-specific coverage levels, dollar values, and premium rates Loss assessments before harvest Claim payments for incremental losses on the total acres grown (payment size depends on the dollar value and coverage level option selected) Potential for a premium discount, depending on how your claim history compares to the history of the plan 3

6 Fresh market vegetable acreage loss plan The fresh market vegetable acreage loss (FMV-AL) plan provides insurance coverage for major losses experienced at the field level. Losses are compared against predetermined abandonment thresholds, which are based on the crop yields required to meet production costs for a typical field of that crop. If your yield falls below the threshold level due to an insured peril, a claim may be paid. Advantages of this plan include: Multiple benefits throughout the season: - Special protection claim - Emergency measures claim - Abandonment claim Separate coverage for multiple plantings of shortseason crops Single-peril (hail or frost) coverage or combined hail and frost coverage Spot-loss protection (insurance coverage applies on a per acre basis, rather than total acreage) Claims are paid at timely periods throughout the growing season In most cases, allows for crop salvage without affecting compensation Which crops are covered under each plan? Crop Asparagus Broad beans Yieldbased Dollarvalue FMV-Acreage Loss Fruit Leafy Root Other Broccoli Brussels sprouts Bok choy Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celeriac Celery Chinese cabbage Cucumbers Eggplant French shallots Gai lan Garlic Green and wax beans Green onions For more detailed information on the differences between yield-based vegetable plans and FMV-AL plans, please see APPENDIX A: Comparison of plan types. 4

7 Crop Yieldbased Dollarvalue FMV-Acreage Loss Fruit Leafy Root Other Green peas Kale Leeks Lettuce Melons Mesclun Mustard greens Onions, seed Onions, set Onions, Spanish Onions, yellow Peppers, banana Peppers, bell Peppers, specialty Parsnips Potatoes Pumpkins Radishes Red beets Rutabagas Spinach Squash Sweet corn Sweet potatoes Tomatoes Turnips Watermelons Yu choy Zucchini The plan names may vary from the crop names above. Please see the Contract of Insurance for the precise plan names. 5

8 What are my responsibilities? Important dates To ensure that your PI contract remains in good standing, please note these important dates and deadlines in the annual cycle of your insurance contract: Description Date (Yield-based) Date Potatoes and onions Carrots, peppers, and rutabagas Asparagus (Dollarvalue) FMV-AL Cancellation April 1 April 1 Oct. 30 April 1 May 1 Apply for coverage April 1 May 1 Oct. 30 May 1 May 1 Make changes to coverage Unseeded Acreage Benefit (USAB): Apply and Notify Agricorp of 10 per cent increase in acreage File damage report for USAB and add new crops Report final planted acreage to Agricorp April 1 May 1 Oct. 30 May 1 May 1 April 1* *onions only Up to planting deadlines* *onions only Within 10 days of planting or June 30, whichever comes first April 1* *carrots only Up to planting deadlines* *carrots only Within 10 days of planting or June 30 whichever comes first *except peppers - July 10 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Oct. 30 As soon as planted see page 23 for cropspecific planting deadlines Pay premium July 10 July 10 April 15 July 10* *except broccoli, lettuce and cauliflower, for which premium is due upon completion of planting Harvest N/A October 15 for peppers only See Acreage Reporting Deadline table on page 31 for crop specific deadlines Within 10 days of receipt of invoice N/A N/A Refer to the Planting Deadlines and Coverage Periods Production Insurance document included in your renewal or application package Report yield December 15 December 15 July 15 N/A N/A 6

9 Good farm management practices You are expected to use good farm management practices at all times. If you use practices that contribute to a production loss, you may lose some or all of your insurance coverage. Changes to your business structure If you make changes to your business structure, including changes to name, address, or shareholders, you must report them to Agricorp by May 1 of the insurance year. Reporting damage You must report all crop damage as soon as it occurs. An Agricorp adjuster may visit your farm to inspect the damage for the purposes of your claim. Failing to report damage as soon as it occurs may cause your claim to be denied. You must report to Agricorp in advance any significant changes in the scale of your operation or the farm management practices you use. 7

10 SECTION II: Yield-based vegetable plans What are the plan details? Insurable crops The following vegetable crops are insurable under the yield-based vegetable plans: Asparagus Carrots* Seed onions Banana peppers** Potatoes* Set onions Bell peppers** Rutabagas** Spanish onions * Fresh production only is insured under the yield based vegetable plan. Processing production is insured under a separate PI plan. For more information, refer to the publication, Production Insurance, Plan Overview, Processing Vegetables. ** Both fresh and processing production is insured under the yield based vegetable plan. Planting deadlines In order to maintain your PI coverage, you must plant your crops by the following deadlines: For crops where both fresh and processing production is insured under this plan, all acres of the crop must be insured. You cannot insure only fresh or only processing production. CROP Asparagus Planting deadline N/A (perennial crop) Seed onions and set onions May 15 Spanish onions May 20 Bell peppers and banana peppers June 15 Potatoes Shepody and Snowden varieties June 21 Potatoes all other varieties June 30 Carrots and rutabagas June 30 8

11 Crop cool WEATHER Insured perils The yield-based vegetable plan provides coverage against these insured perils: Drought Excessive heat Excessive moisture Excessive rainfall Flood Freeze peril Asparagus Bell peppers Banana peppers Frost Hail Insect *infestation Plant *disease Carrots Potatoes Rutabagas Seed onions Set onions Spanish onions * Provided good farm management practices are followed Coverage eligibility A one-acre minimum is required to insure yield-based vegetable crops, except for fresh market potatoes and rutabagas, which require a minimum of three acres. Asparagus Coverage level options: 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 per cent. Available coverage Asparagus is eligible for total production coverage. Special conditions With asparagus, it is considered a good farm management practice to plant crowns rather than direct seed. Production insurance covers only asparagus plants that are at least four years of age (from crowns) or older. Harvest duration will depend on the growing conditions in the year and the resilience of the crop. Your individual yield history is based on your historic harvest period. Typically, the harvest period is for six weeks. If your yield falls below your production guarantee due to immaturity or previous management decisions, Agricorp will adjust your production guarantee accordingly. Coverage is limited to the field and does not include post-harvest diseases encountered during storage. Sunscald Wildlife Wind 9

12 Claim price The claim price unit is in dollars per pound. The claim price is based on the five-year average price of fresh sales as reported by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF), less an amount per pound for non-incurred costs (pack out and containers). Banana pepper Coverage level options: 70, 75 and 80 per cent. Available coverage Peppers are eligible for total production coverage, the reseeding benefit and the pepper salvage benefit. For more details on the pepper salvage benefit, see the Pepper Salvage Benefit Production Insurance Document. Also see an explanation and example on page 22. Claim price The claim price unit is in dollars per ton. There are three claim price options. The claim price is based on the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG) contract price for banana peppers, and green, multi-coloured and red bell peppers. Bell pepper Coverage level options: 70, 75 and 80 per cent. Available coverage Peppers are eligible for total production coverage, the reseeding benefit and the pepper salvage benefit. For more details on the pepper salvage benefit, see the Pepper Salvage Benefit Production Insurance Document. Also see an explanation and example on page 22. Claim price The claim price unit is in dollars per ton. There are three claim price options. The claim price is based on the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG) contract price for banana peppers, and green, multi-coloured and red bell peppers. Carrots Coverage level options: 65, 70, 75 and 80 per cent. Available coverage Carrots are eligible for total production coverage, as well as the unseeded acreage benefit and the reseeding benefit. Early-harvest yield factoring Your AFY for carrots is based on the harvested production of mature carrots. Factoring is designed to adjust your yield to account for carrots harvested before maturity. Early-harvest carrots are assigned a potential yield that is greater than or equal to your guaranteed production. However, a lower potential yield may be applied if the Agricorp adjuster inspects the crop and believes the lower potential is due to damage incurred by an insured peril. Claim price The claim price unit is in dollars per 50 pound bag. The claim price is based on a fall packer survey and OMAFRA s five-year average survey, less non-incurred costs. 10

13 Potatoes Coverage level options: 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90 per cent. Available coverage Potatoes are eligible for total production coverage, as well as the reseeding benefit. Early harvest yield factor for potatoes Your AFY for potatoes is based on the harvested production of mature potatoes. Factoring is designed to adjust your yield to account for potatoes harvested before maturity. The maturity date is the last day of the Ministerial exemption on imported processing new crop potatoes in bulk. Factors are applied as follows: factoring periods length of factoring period (days) factor Ministerial exemption date st period nd period rd period Last date Example: If the Ministerial exemption date is July 10, potatoes harvested between July 11 and July 13 will be factored by , July 14 to 20 harvests will be factored by , and so forth. Claim price The claim price unit is in dollars per hundredweight. There are two claim price options based on a five-year average of fresh table stock potatoes, less non-incurred costs (trucking and board fees). Rutabaga Coverage level options: 70, 75 and 80 per cent. Available coverage Rutabagas are eligible for total production coverage, and the reseeding benefit. Claim price The claim price unit is dollars per ton. The claim price is based on the three year average industry price less non-incurred costs. 11

14 Seed onions Coverage level options: 70, 75 and 80 per cent. Available coverage Seed onions are eligible for total production coverage, as well as the unseeded acreage benefit and the reseeding benefit. Small onion conversion A yield conversion is calculated when the grower is only in a claim position and the amount of small onions is greater than the natural occurrence of small onions of the total yield. The natural occurrence of small onion bags is 5 per cent of total yield. If the natural occurrence is greater than the actual number of small onions, the actual number of onions harvested is the yield to count. If the natural occurrence is smaller than the actual number of small onions, a conversion is required. This is not available for Spanish onions because drought is the main peril contributing to onions size and irrigation is required for eligibility. Total yield to count = actual number of large onions + converted number of small onions Where: converted number of small onions = natural occurrence of small onions + (actual number of small onions natural occurrence of small onions) x 0.40 Claim price The claim price unit is dollars per 50 pound bag. The claim price is based on a fall packer survey and OMAF s five-year average survey, less non-incurred costs. Set onions Coverage level options: 70, 75 and 80 per cent. Available coverage Set onions are eligible for total production coverage, as well as the unseeded acreage benefit and the reseeding benefit. Claim price The claim price unit is dollars per 50 pound bag. The claim price is based on a fall packer survey and OMAF s five-year average survey, less non-incurred costs. Spanish onions Coverage level options: 70, 75 and 80 per cent. Available coverage Spanish onions are eligible for total production coverage, as well as the unseeded acreage benefit and the reseeding benefit. Irrigation is required to participate in the Spanish onion plan. Claim price The claim price unit is dollars per 50 pound bag. There are two claim price options. The claim price is based on the processor price less non-incurred costs. 12

15 How is PI coverage determined? The following factors are used to determine how much damage you are protected against from insured perils: Average farm yield Coverage level Guaranteed production Average farm yield Agricorp calculates an average farm yield (AFY) that is used as a benchmark to determine if your actual production is below your historical average for insurance purposes. If you grow asparagus, your initial underwritten average farm yield is also based on whether hybrids and/or open pollinated varieties are grown, the age of plantings, your marketable yield history, and provincial and Agricorp average yields. AFY for existing plan participants Your AFY is calculated using up to the past 10 years of your actual reported yields. AFY for new plan participants If you are new to the PI plan, each crop is assigned an underwritten five-year AFY that is based on: Soil type Drainage Township averages Plan averages Historical data Management experience and practices Agricorp may adjust your AFY to reflect any substantial changes to your farm management practices or land base. Each year that you participate in the plan, your actual yield replaces an underwritten yield until your AFY is composed entirely of your own actual yields. Yield reporting An Agricorp adjuster will visit your farm after harvest to collect your actual yield information and/or measure your stored crop harvested from the field. Information on your sales may also be audited to verify your yield. Yield buffering Unusually high and low yields are buffered to stabilize and lessen the impact of extreme yields on your AFY: The upper threshold is 130 per cent of your AFY. If your actual yield is above the upper threshold, the yield is buffered two-thirds of the way down to the upper threshold. The lower threshold is 70 per cent of your AFY. If your actual yield is below the lower threshold, the yield is buffered two-thirds of the way up to the lower threshold. Coverage level At the time of application or renewal, you choose a coverage level from one of several options available for each crop that affects both the amount of premium you pay as well as any potential claims you may receive. 13

16 Guaranteed production Your guaranteed production is determined by multiplying your AFY by your selected coverage level. If an insured peril causes your actual yield to fall below your guaranteed production, a production claim may be paid on the difference. Evan Farm Example I: Calculating AFY for new customers Evan Farm is a seed onion producer that is applying for PI for the first time. Year 1: Agricorp assigns Evan Farm a five-year beginning AFY of 784 bags per acre (where one bag of onions weighs 50 pounds). Year 2: Evan Farm s actual yield for Year 1 was 800 bags per acre. As a result, its AFY for Year 2 is now based on one actual yield plus four underwritten yields, as follows: AFY (Year 2) = (4 x 784) = 3936 = bags/acre 5 5 Year 3: The actual yield for Year 2 was 700 bags per acre. The AFY for Year 3 is now based on two actual yields plus three underwritten yields, as follows: AFY (Year 3) = (3 x 784) = 3852 = bags/acre 5 5 The AFY for following years is calculated in the same manner until all underwritten yields are replaced by actual yields starting in Year 6. Evan Farm Example II: Yield buffering Assume Evan Farm has now participated in the PI program for several years. In 2007, less than ideal growing conditions led to a very low yield. This extremely low yield is buffered up for the purposes of calculating AFY. In 2010, ideal growing conditions led to a bumper crop. This extremely high yield is buffered down for the purposes of calculating AFY. The table below shows Evan Farm s actual yields and the buffered yields for 2007 and 2010: Year Actual yield (bags per acre) Buffered Yield (bags per acre) These numbers are the result of the calculations that follow Average AFY

17 Evan Farm s upper and lower limit thresholds are calculated as follows: Upper threshold = 130% x bags/acre = bags/acre Lower threshold = 70% x bags/acre = bags/acre The buffered yield would be calculated as follows: Difference between actual yield and the upper limit = = Buffering adjustment (BA) = = = Buffered yield = = = Difference between upper limit and actual yield x 2/ x 2/ bags per acre Actual yield - BA bags per acre Difference between lower limit and actual yield = = bags per acre Buffering adjustment (BA) = = = Buffered yield = = = Difference between lower limit and actual yield x 2/ x 2/ bags per acre Actual yield + BA bags per acre This buffered yield is then used in calculating your average farm yield. Evan Farm Example III: Determining guaranteed production Evan Farm selects the highest coverage available for seed onions at 80 per cent. The guaranteed production (GP) per acre is determined as: GP = AFY x coverage level = bags/acre x 80% = bags/acre If an insured peril causes Evan Farm to harvest fewer than bags per acre in 2014, a production claim may be paid. 15

18 How are PI premiums determined? Your annual premium calculation is based on: Base premium rate Discount or surcharge Final reported acreage Base premium rate Base premium rates are determined annually at the time of renewal. Rates may change based on factors like past performance of the plan, changes to claim price and the level of the Production Insurance Reserve Fund. Discounts and surcharges If you have been enrolled in a PI plan for more than one year, your premium rate may be discounted or surcharged. Discounts and surcharges are determined by comparing your individual claim rate to the claim rate for the crop plan as a whole: If your individual claim rate is greater than the claim rate for the crop plan, you may have a surcharge applied to your premium. If your individual claim rate is less than the claim rate for the crop plan, you may have a discount applied to your premium. The claim rate measures the total dollar value of all claims paid, as a percentage of the total insured liability. Liability is the total guaranteed production value of the insured crop multiplied by the claim price, or the amount your PI would pay if you had a total crop loss. Your individual claim rate takes into account the total value of all the claims you have received and the total liability you have insured during your enrolment in the plan. The claim rate for the plan takes into account the value of all claims and the total liability insured over the years that the plan has been in existence. Calculating discount or surcharge A premium discount or surcharge applies to yield-based and dollarvalue vegetable plans. Discount or surcharge percentage = 100 x # of years enrolled in plan ( x individual claim rate 1) 25 plan claim rate Notes: There is no discount or surcharge for asparagus or FMV-AL. The maximum annual discount or surcharge is capped at +/- 25 percent of the base rate premium (excluding cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli, which have an unlimited annual discount or surcharge). 16

19 Evan Farm Example IV: Calculating discount or surcharge Assume the plan claim rate is constant over the next 10 years. The individual accumulated liability increases given the AFY for each year over time. All growers start off with no discount or surcharge. Evan Farm does not have any claims the first three years of Production Insurance so it receives a discount every year. In the fourth year of production, Evan Farm has a claim of $146,720. In turn, this claim moves the farm from the previous year s 8 per cent discount to a 9.71 per cent surcharge. Year Years o f enrol. Customer s accumulated liability Customer s accumulated claims Customer s claim rate (%) Plan claim rate (%) Customer s discount (-) o r surcharge (+) ,800 NIL ,040 NIL ,920 NIL , , , , , , ,074, , ,231, , ,387, , ,543, , Over the past nine years, Evan Farm insured $1,543,656 in liability and received $146,720 in seed onion claims. As a result, the farm would receive a discount of 9.28 per cent. Since Evan Farm s individual claim rate is less than the claim rate for the plan, it would receive a discount: Discount or surcharge percentage = 100 x % x ( 9.50% 1) = -9.28% For calculating annual premiums, this percentage translates to a discount of (100% % = 90.72%). A small claim may have little or no effect on your discount or surcharge. In a year when many other plan participants are also in a claim situation, even a large claim may have little impact on your discount or surcharge, because the claim rate for the plan is also likely to increase. 17

20 Cost sharing Once you report your number of eligible acres, an invoice will be sent to you for your portion of the annual premium. The federal and provincial governments contribute up to 60 per cent of the annual premium. Your annual premium does not include any fees for administrative costs, which are funded entirely by the provincial and federal governments. Evan Farm Example V: Calculating annual premium For the current crop year, the base premium rate at 80 per cent coverage is $184.05/acre for seed onions. Evan Farm reported 50 acres. As calculated in Example IV, Evan Farm has a premium discount of 9.28 per cent. The annual premium (AP) for Evan Farm is calculated as: AP = number of acres x base premium rate x discount/surcharge = 50 x $ x = $8, Final reported acreage You must report your planted acres to Agricorp by the deadlines specified in What are my responsibilities on page 6. What happens when a crop is damaged? Reporting damage You must report damage as soon as it occurs by calling Agricorp at , Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you do not report damage immediately, your claim could be denied. Claim eligibility You must meet the obligations outlined in the section What are my responsibilities? on page 6. The minimum annual customer premium is $100 per crop and $150 per crop for bell peppers and banana peppers. Report your acres as accurately as possible. Any discrepancies in acreage at the time of a claim may result in a decreased payment. To be eligible for a claim, you must report damage to Agricorp before harvest so an adjuster can complete the required crop inspection. Specific eligibility criteria for different claim types are as follows: 1. Production Claims Production claims cover reductions in yield caused by insured perils. Agricorp may pay a claim if: i. Damage was reported to Agricorp before harvest; ii. Yield loss was due to an insured peril; and iii. Your declared yield falls below your guaranteed value. A claim is paid if an insured peril causes your yield to fall below your guaranteed production. 18

21 Evan Farm Example VI: Calculating a production claim In Example II, the guaranteed production for Evan Farm was calculated as bags per acre. Based on 50 reported acres, their total guaranteed production is 31,363 bags. For the current crop year, excessive rainfall and disease resulted in an actual reported yield of 50 bags per acre, or a total harvested yield of 2,500 bags. The production shortfall (PS) is calculated as: PS = total guaranteed production - actual reported yield = 31,363-2,500 = 28,863 bags Based on an example claim price for seed onions of $5.00 per bag, the claim payable (CP) is calculated as: CP = production shortfall x claim price = 28,863 bags x $5.00 per bag = $144, Unseeded acreage benefit (carrots, seed onions, set onions, and Spanish onions only) The unseeded acreage benefit (USAB) provides compensation if an insured peril other than drought prevents you and a large number of other growers in the same area from planting or seeding all or part of your acreage. Claim payments are based on the dominant crop you grew in the previous year. If you grew the same number of acres of two different crops, a priority list is used to determine your dominant crop. To qualify for USAB, you must insure all of your acreage of carrots, seed onions, set onions and/or Spanish onions. The amount of a USAB claim is determined by the following factors: Claim price Average farm yield (AFY) Deductible Per acre charge The claim price is a predetermined dollar amount per bushel or pound that Agricorp sets for each crop. A USAB claim is based on one-third of your AFY for the current plan year. Claims are subject to deductibles whether the unseeded land is tiled or untiled: The deductible for tiled land is the greater of one per cent or three acres of land still unseeded. The deductible for untiled land is the greater of three per cent or six acres of land still unseeded. The deductible is removed from the number of unseeded acres to determine the number of eligible acres for the USAB. A one-dollar per-acre charge is applied to the number of unseeded acres, instead of an additional premium for this benefit. 19

22 The USAB benefit is calculated as: USAB = [claim price x 1/3 AFY x (total unseeded acreage deductible)] - [one dollar x total unseeded acreage] To qualify for USAB for onions, you must insure all your fresh market carrots, seed onions, set onions, and Spanish onions and apply for USAB before April 1, of the current crop year. Evan Farm Example VII: Calculating a USAB claim After excessive rainfall prevents planting until well past the May 15 deadline for seed onions, Evan Farm is only able to plant 40 of the 50 acres it intended. The unseeded acreage consists of tiled muck land. The table in Example II shows Evan Farm s AFY for the current year is bags per acre. The example claim price for seed onions is $5.00 per bag. Since there are 10 acres of unseeded tiled land, a three-acre deductible is applied. The USAB claim is calculated as: The deadline to apply for USAB is April 1. See What are my responsibilities? on page 6 for other important USAB deadlines. If you are planning on increasing last year s planted acres by 10 per cent or more, you must contact Agricorp by April 1. If you do not report your increased acreage, you could be denied benefits on some or all of any unseeded acres. USAB = (claim price x 1/3 AFY x # eligible acres) - (one dollar x total unseeded acres) = ($5.00 x x 7) ($1.00 x 10) = $9, $10.00 = $9, Reseeding benefit A reseeding benefit is paid if you have to reseed some or all acres of your crop due to an insured peril. The maximum benefit is based on a per-acre benefit rate that Agricorp sets for each crop. The reseed benefit consists primarily of seed or transplants, tillage, and planting costs. For some crops, like onions, insecticide costs are included in the benefit up to a maximum amount. Agricorp sets crop-specific maximum values for each reseed or replant activity. Reseed benefit = damaged acres x reseed value/acre* * If your actual receipts are less than the Agricorp maximum, the lower value is paid. To qualify, you must: Contact Agricorp to open a claim before you reseed, AND Once authorized, finish reseeding by the planting deadline for your area. The minimum acreage eligible for reseeding or replanting is three adjoining acres for fresh market potatoes and rutabagas, and one adjoining acre for all other vegetables. Refer to the current year s information sheet from your renewal package or agricorp.com for current reseeding benefit rates. 20

23 Evan Farm Example VIII: Calculating a reseeding benefit claim Evan Farm reports damage on May 1 for excess moisture and flooding. Direct-seeded onions at the flag leaf stage are damaged in low-lying areas. An Agricorp adjuster measures a total of four acres damaged. Agricorp s reseed values for seed onions are as follows: Replant activity Reseed Value ($/acre) Tillage $22.00 Planting $80.00 Maximum seed cost $ Herbicide/insecticide $75.00 Total reseed value ($/acre) $1, Evan Farm s reseed values for seed onions are as follows: Replant activity Reseed Value ($/acre) Tillage $22.00 Planting $80.00 Evan Farm actual seed cost $ Herbicide/insecticide $75.00 Total reseed value ($/acre) $ Evan Farm s seed invoices show seed expenses of $780 per acre for reseeding, which is less than Agricorp s maximum. As a result, the reseeding benefit (RB) is calculated using Evan Farm s values, as follows: RB = damaged acres x total reseed value/acre = 4 acres x $957/acre = $3,828 21

24 4. Pepper salvage benefit (banana and bell peppers only) The salvage benefit compensates you for wages and related labour costs plus 30 per cent, up to a maximum of $250 per acre. The combined value of any salvage and production claims cannot exceed the total liability for the contract. The salvage benefit is calculated as: Salvage benefit = total labour cost + 30 per cent To qualify, you must meet all of the following conditions: i. Damage must have occurred to at least half of an acre on or before August 1 for banana peppers and on or before August 15 for bell peppers; ii. Fungicides must be applied in accordance with good farm management practices; and iii. You must notify Agricorp as soon as the damage occurs. An Agricorp adjuster will inspect the crop to assess the severity of the damage, confirm the cause, and assess a potential yield. If the crop is grown under contract with a processor, the processor must provide written permission before the salvage work begins. Evan Farm Example IX: Calculating a pepper salvage benefit claim Evan Farm decides to plant 15 acres of bell peppers under contract with a processor. When a hailstorm on August 4 causes crop damage, the grower immediately contacts Agricorp to open a damage report. An Agricorp adjuster visits Evan Farm and agrees they are eligible for a salvage benefit on ten acres. The processor has given written permission to proceed with the salvage work. They employ 46 labourers at $10 per hour to remove the damaged peppers in 10 hours. The maximum allowable pepper salvage benefit is $250 x 10 acres = $2,500. The salvage benefit (SB) calculation for Evan Farm is: SB = total labour cost + 30 per cent = (46 x $10 x 10) + (.30 x46 x $10 x 10) = $5,980 Evan Farm would therefore receive the maximum allowable salvage benefit of $2,

25 SECTION III: Dollar-value vegetable plans What are the plan details? Insurable crops The following vegetable crops are insurable under the dollar-value vegetable plan: Broccoli** Celery ** Sweet corn* Cabbage** Lettuce** Tomatoes* Cauliflower** Parsnips** * Fresh production only. Processing production is insured under a separate PI plan. For more information about insuring processing vegetables, refer to the publication, Production Insurance, Plan Overview, Processing Vegetables. ** Both fresh and processing production is insured under the dollar-value vegetable plan. Coverage eligibility A one-acre minimum is required for insurance under the dollar-value vegetable plans. For crops where both fresh and processing production is insured under this plan, all acres of the crop must be insured. You may not choose to insure only fresh or only processing production. Planting deadlines To maintain your PI coverage, you must plant your crops by the following deadlines: CROP Planting deadline Tomatoes June 15 Cabbage, celery, parsnips and sweet corn June 30 Cauliflower July 25 Broccoli (fresh) and lettuce August 1 Broccoli (processing) August 14 (conditions apply, see inset below) Planting deadline extension for processing broccoli If you grow broccoli for processing, you may be able to plant up until August 14 if all of the following conditions are met: i. You have a processing contract for the broccoli; ii. The processing broccoli is planted in an area with greater than 2,400 heat units; iii. Acres can be irrigated; iv. Acres are not double-cropped with any other crop; and v. The broccoli transplants came from an agency certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency You must call Agricorp before August 1 if you are planning to plant processing broccoli after the regular August 1 deadline. 23

26 Insured perils The dollar-value vegetable plan provides protection against these insured perils: Drought Hail Excessive heat* Insect infestation** Excessive rainfall Plant diseases** Flood Wildlife Frost Wind Freeze * Except lettuce and sweet corn. ** Provided good farm management practices are followed. Coverage level options You choose a coverage level of 65, 70, 75, or 80 per cent. Dollar-value options You choose from one of the following available dollar-value options: CROP Dollar value per acre Minimum Maximum Broccoli $937 $1,875 Cabbage $1,125 $2,250 Cauliflower $1,500 $3,000 Celery $2,000 $4,000 Lettuce $900 $1,800 Parsnips $900 $1,800 Sweet corn $350 $700 Tomatoes $1,875 $3,750 How is PI coverage determined? Under the dollar-value vegetable plan, crops are insured on the basis of a dollar value per acre for the total number of acres planted. Guaranteed production Your guaranteed production is determined by multiplying the chosen dollar value (per acre) by your chosen coverage level. If your actual production falls below your guaranteed production, a claim may be paid. 24

27 Lynwood Enterprises Example I: Determining guaranteed production Lynwood Enterprises is renewing its PI coverage under the dollar-value plan. It selects a dollar value of $3,000 per acre and a coverage level of 80 per cent for its cauliflower crop. The guaranteed production (GP) per acre is determined as: GP = selected dollar value per acre x coverage level = $3,000 x 80% = $2,400 per acre If an insured peril causes Lynwood Enterprises to harvest less than $2,400 per acre, a production claim may be paid. How are PI premiums determined? Your annual PI premium calculation is based on: Base premium rate Discount or surcharge Final reported acreage Guaranteed production Base premium rate Base premium rates are calculated by Agricorp as a percentage of liability. Rates are determined annually at the time of renewal and may change based on factors like past performance of the plan and the level of the Production Insurance Reserve Fund. Discounts and surcharges If you have been enrolled in a dollar-value vegetable plan for more than one year, your premium rate may be discounted or surcharged. Discounts and surcharges are determined by comparing your individual claim rate to the claim rate for the crop plan as a whole. Final reported acreage You must report acres as soon as you finish planting. To be eligible for insurance, you must finish planting by the deadlines specified in What are my responsibilities? on page 6. For more detailed information about surcharges and discounts, see page 15. Surcharges and discounts are treated the same for dollar-value vegetable plans as for yieldbased vegetable plans. There is no discount available for FMV-AL plans. Report your acres as accurately as possible. Any discrepancies in acreage at the time of a claim may reduce your payment. Guaranteed production Your guaranteed production is determined by multiplying your selected dollar value per acre by your chosen coverage level. Your per acre premium (AP or P/A) is then determined by multiplying your guaranteed production by your base premium rate and your discount or surcharge. AP = Guaranteed production x (base premium rate x discount/surcharge) 25

28 Cost sharing Once you report your acres, an invoice will be sent to you for your portion of the annual premium. The federal and provincial governments contribute up to 60 per cent of the annual premium. Your annual premium does not include any fees for administrative costs, which are funded entirely by the provincial and federal governments. Lynwood Enterprises Example II: Calculating annual premium Recall that Lynwood Enterprises selected a dollar value of $3,000 per acre and a coverage level of 80 per cent. For the current crop year, the example base premium rate at 80 per cent coverage is 6.79 per cent. Assume Lynwood Enterprises has a premium discount of 5.21 per cent, which translates to for calculation purposes. The premium per acre (P/A) is calculated as: P/A = Guaranteed production x (base premium rate x discount/surcharge) = $3,000 x 80% x x.9479 = $ per acre Lynwood Enterprises reported 20 acres of cauliflower. The annual premium (AP) is calculated as: AP = premium per acre x reported acres = $ x 20 = $3, The minimum annual premium is $100 per crop plan. What happens when a crop is damaged? Reporting damage You must report damage to Agricorp as soon as it occurs by calling , Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Claim eligibility You are expected to meet the obligations outlined in the section What are my responsibilities? on page 6. To be eligible for a claim, you must report damage to Agricorp before harvest so an adjuster can complete the required crop inspection. Each crop must be reported separately. Specific eligibility criteria for different claim types are as follows: 1. Production claims Production claims cover reductions in yield caused by insured perils. Agricorp may pay a claim if: i. Damage was reported to Agricorp before harvest; ii. Yield loss was due to an insured peril; and iii. Your total harvestable value falls below your total guaranteed production. A claim is paid if an insured peril causes your value to fall below your total guaranteed production. 26

29 Lynwood Enterprises Example III: Calculating a production claim Lynwood Enterprises reports excessive rainfall damage. Recall that the farm selected a dollar value per acre of $3,000. In Example I, the guaranteed production for Lynwood Enterprises was calculated as $2,400 per acre. Based on 20 reported acres, their total guaranteed production is $48,000. The table below shows the assessed damage for each separate area of the field: Area Damaged acres (A) Percentage damaged (B) Total coverage DV* x (A) Total dollar loss DV* x (A) x (B) Harvestable value (total coverage - total dollar loss) % $13,500 $3,375 $10, % $19,500 $9,165 $10, % $9,000 $5,400 $3, % $18,000 $1,800 $16,200 Total $40,260 * DV = dollar value per acre of $3,000 Based on the data calculated in the table, the claim payable (CP) is calculated as: CP = total guaranteed production - total harvestable value = $48,000 - $40,260 = $7, Reseeding Benefit A reseeding benefit is paid if you have to reseed some or all acres of your crop due to an insured peril. The maximum benefit is based on a per-acre benefit rate that Agricorp sets for each crop. The reseed benefit consists primarily of seed or transplants, tillage, and planting costs. Agricorp sets crop-specific maximum values for each reseeding or replanting. Reseed benefit = damaged acres x reseed value/acre* *If your actual receipts are less than the Agricorp maximum the lower value is paid. To qualify, at least one acre must be damaged, and you must: Contact Agricorp to open a claim before you reseed, AND Once authorized, finish reseeding by the planting deadline for your area. The minimum acreage eligible for reseeding or replanting dollar-value vegetables is one acre. Reseeding benefits do not apply to lettuce. Refer to the current year s information sheet from your renewal package or available at agricorp.com for current reseeding benefit rates. 27

30 Lynwood Enterprises Example IV: Calculating a reseeding benefit claim Lynwood Enterprises opens a reseed claim before the planting deadline because its newly planted cauliflower transplants were damaged by hail. An Agricorp adjuster measures a total of four acres damaged. Agricorp s reseed values for transplanted cauliflower are as follows: Replant activity Reseed Value ($/acre) Tillage $22.00 Planting $ Maximum seed cost $ Plug cost $ Total Reseed Value ($/acre) $ Lynwood Enterprises reseed values for cauliflower are as follows: Replant activity Reseed Value ($/acre) Tillage $22.00 Planting $ Maximum seed cost $ Plug cost $ Total reseed value ($/acre) $ Lynwood Farm s seed and plug cost show $ and $ from invoices which are greater than Agricorp s maximum amount. As a result, the reseeding benefit (RB) is calculated using Agricorp s maximum reseed values. The reseeding benefit (RB) is calculated as: RB = damaged acres x total reseed value/acre = 4 acres x $797.00/acre = $3,

31 SECTION IV: Fresh market vegetable acreage loss plan What are the plan details? Insurable crops The following vegetable crops are insurable under these four FMV-AL plans: Root vegetables Carrots Celeriac French shallots Garlic Green onions Leeks Parsnips Radishes Red beets Rutabagas Spanish onions Sweet potatoes Turnips Yellow onions Leafy vegetables Bok choy Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Celery Chinese cabbage Gai lan Kale Lettuce Mesclun Mustard greens Spinach Summer cabbage Winter cabbage Yu choy Fruit vegetables Cucumbers Eggplant Melons Bell and specialty peppers Pumpkins Squash Tomatoes Watermelon Zucchini Other vegetables Broad beans Green and wax beans Green peas Sweet corn Coverage eligibility To be eligible for the FMV-AL PI plan, all of the following conditions must be met: i. You must have a minimum of two acres per crop class and insure all acres of that crop; ii. You must insure all crops within the same crop grouping (e.g. if you insure three acres of onions and grow two acres of carrots you must also insure the carrots); iii. You must plant or seed the acreage by the planting deadlines specified in the current year s information sheet from your renewal package or available at agricorp.com; iv. If you plant the acreage before you apply for PI, your coverage must first be approved by Agricorp. Organic production Organic carrots and cabbage can be insured separately. To be eligible for organic coverage, the land you grow the crop on must be certified for the current crop year, and you must provide a copy of the certification to Agricorp. Failure to provide any requested production records can result in the loss of a claim. A single crop in a crop grouping may be insured individually if the crop covers an area of ten acres or more. If you want to insure additional crops in the same grouping, you must insure all (not just some) of the other crops in that grouping. You can insure organic crops as conventional. However, damage caused by perils that are controllable as defined in OMAFRA Publication 838 may be denied a claim. 29

32 Peril options Under the FMV-AL plans, you can choose one of four peril options: 1. Multi-peril coverage This peril option provides protection against these insured perils: Drought* Frost Tornado Excessive heat Hail Wildlife Excessive moisture Insect infestation** High winds Excessive rainfall Plant diseases** Flooding Snow * Except Spanish onions. From which there is no adequate means of protection. ** Not insured perils for double cropped zucchini. Not an insured peril for crops grown on re-used plastic mulch. 2. Single-peril coverage for hail only 3. Single-peril coverage for frost only 4. Combined coverage for hail and frost Coverage level options You choose from one of the following available coverage levels to suit your individual risk management needs: If you have insurable crops in two different plans (e.g. root and leafy) you can select different plan design options for each plan (e.g. multi-peril coverage for root vegetables and hail-only coverage for leafy vegetables). Peril option Available coverage levels 60% 70% 80% 85% Multi-peril Hail only Frost only Hail and Frost Insurable value options For each crop, you choose one of three insurable value options that are expressed in dollars per acre. The insurable value is the basis of your premium and any abandonment claim you may receive. Coverage period For specific insurable option values and abandonment threshold levels, refer to the Intended Crop Planting Sheet contained in your renewal package or available by contacting Agricorp. To be eligible for insurance, you must finish planting by the latest planting date specified by Agricorp. The coverage period varies by crop. For specific planting deadlines and coverage period dates, refer to the current year s Planting Deadlines and Coverage Period sheet on agricorp.com. 30

33 Acreage Reporting Deadlines You must report your acreage within 10 days of planting or by the acreage reporting deadline below, whichever comes first. Acreage reporting deadlines under the FMV-AL plans fall on one of three dates, depending on the crop. Plan Acreage Reporting Deadline July 15 or completion of planting, whichever comes first August 15 or completion of planting, whichever comes first September 15 or completion of planting, whichever comes first Fruit All crops Leafy Brussels sprouts, cauliflower (seeded), celery, kale, and cabbage Broccoli, cauliflower (transplanted), Chinese cabbage, lettuce and spinach Bok choy, gai lan, musclun, mustard greens, baby spinach, yu choy Root All except radishes Radishes Other All crops At renewal or application, you are required to complete a farm diagram identifying fields and farms. When you report your acreage, please use this diagram to report your acreage by farm number and field number. Acreage changes Report your acres as accurately as possible. Any discrepancies in acreage at the time of a claim may reduce your payment. If loss or damage occurs to an insured crop, you cannot abandon, destroy, reseed, replant, harvest or use the acreage for another purpose without consent from Agricorp. You must take all reasonable steps to prevent further damage to the crop and other insured crops until Agricorp releases the acreage. Leigh Acres Example I: Choosing insurable values Leigh Acres grows carrots, yellow onions, and spinach. The insurable value options for these crops for the current plan year are as follows: Category Crop class Option 1 ($/ac) Option 2 ($/ac) Option 3 ($/ac) Root vegetables Carrots (mineral soil) $1,300 $1,040 $780 Root vegetables Yellow onions (mineral soil) $2,000 $1,300 $1,200 Leafy vegetables Spinach $1,100 $880 $660 Leigh Acres chooses insured values of $1,040 for carrots, $2,000 for yellow onions, and $1,100 for spinach. 31

34 How is PI coverage determined? Under the FMV-AL plans, your coverage is determined by calculating the total insurable value. Total insurable value = insured value by crop class x number of acres of crop class To calculate the total insurable value for a crop, multiply the insured value you selected by the number of acres of that crop. The total insurable values for each crop class (e.g. carrots, onions) within each plan (e.g. root vegetables) are added together to determine your total coverage for each plan. Leigh Acres Example II: Calculating total insurable value Recall that Leigh Acres grows carrots, onions, and spinach. Based on the insurable values for each crop in Leigh Acres Example I, the total insurable values are as follows: Category Crop class Acres (A) Insurable value (B) ($ per acre) Total insurable value (A x B) Root vegetables Root vegetables Carrots (mineral soil) Yellow onions (mineral soil) 20 $1,040 $20, $2,000 $30,000 Total $50,800 Leafy vegetables Spinach 15 $1,100 $16,500 Total $16,500 Criteria for high density vegetables Agricorp offers high density coverage to reflect the differences in production techniques in Ontario horticulture. High-density broccoli, celery, peppers, Spanish Onions and zucchini can be insured separately. To quality, the planting density of crops must meet or exceed the values in the following table: high density crop Bell peppers and specialty peppers Zucchini, on mulch and zucchini, transplanted on mulch minimum number of plants/acre 17,000 8,250 Broccoli, transplanted 25,000 Celery 36,000 Spanish onions 78,000 32

35 How are PI premiums determined? Your annual PI premium is determined as a percentage of the total insurable value. The percentage used is a base premium rate set by Agricorp. Premium = total insurable value x base premium rate Refer to your renewal Base premium rate notice or agricorp.com for base premium rates Base premium rates are determined annually at specific to the crop year. the time of renewal. Rates may change based on factors like past performance of the plan, changes to threshold levels, and the level of the Production Insurance Reserve Fund. Cost sharing Once you report your eligible acres, an invoice will be sent to you for your portion of the annual premium. The federal and provincial governments contribute up to 60 per cent of the annual premium. Your annual premium does not include any fees for administrative costs, which are funded entirely by the provincial and federal governments. The minimum annual premium is $100 per FMV-AL plan (i.e. $100 for leafy vegetables and $100 for root vegetables). Leigh Acres Example III: Calculating annual premium Under the root vegetable plan, Leigh Acres selects a multi-peril option with an 80 per cent coverage level. The example base premium rate is 4.19 per cent. Under the leafy vegetable plan, Leigh Acres selects a hail-only option with an 85 per cent coverage level. The example base premium rate is 0.78 per cent. Using the combined total insurable value of $50,800 for carrots and onions determined in Example II, the annual premium for root vegetables (APRV) is calculated as: APRV = total insurable value by crop x base premium rate = $50,800 x 4.19% = $2, Using the $16,500 total insurable value for spinach determined in Example II, the annual premium for leafy vegetables (APLV) is calculated as: APLV = total insurable value by crop x base premium rate = $16,500 x 0.78% = $ The total annual premium (TAP) is determined by adding together the annual premiums for each crop plan: TAP = APRV + APLV = $2, $ = $2,

36 What happens when a crop is damaged? Reporting damage You must report damage as soon as it occurs by calling Agricorp at , Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you do not report damage immediately, your claim could be denied. Claim eligibility You are expected to follow the obligations outlined in the section What are my responsibilities? on page 6. If loss or damage occurs to an insured crop, you may not destroy, reseed, replant, harvest, or use the acreage for another purpose without consent from Agricorp. You must also take all reasonable steps to prevent further damage to the crop until Agricorp releases the acreage. In addition: The minimum acreage eligible for a claim is one continuous acre of a crop class. Assessment of damage and yield sampling is based on grading standards as determined by Agricorp and outlined in the Grading Standards Sheet, available in your renewal package or by contacting Agricorp. You must keep detailed production records including, but not limited to, crop protection records and invoices, and supply them to Agricorp on request. Types of claims To be eligible for a claim, you must report damage as soon as it occurs. Each individual area of damage must be reported separately. There are three types of claims under the acreage loss crop plans: 1. Special protection claim 2. Emergency measures claim 3. Abandonment claim The cumulative amount of compensation paid for different types of claims for one acre cannot exceed the insurable value of that acre. 34

37 1. Special protection claim A special protection claim may apply when an insured peril causes one of the following situations: i. an inability to plant your intended crop by the planting deadline; or ii. a requirement to plant after the intended planting deadline a replacement crop that has different land preparation practices from the crop you originally intended to plant. Your claim takes into account the actual work done to prepare the damaged acreage (for unseeded or unplanted acreage), or to prepare, over and above good farm management practices, the damaged acres for seeding or planting of the replacement crop. Your claim is calculated by multiplying the cost of expenses incurred, to a maximum as determined and calculated by Agricorp, by your chosen coverage level. Special protection claim = # of acres x cost/acre x coverage level To be eligible for a claim, either a large number of producers in a given region must experience the same problem, or an area must be affected by prolonged, abnormal weather. The claim covers only products used and work done before the final planting date of the replacement crop. Applying for a special protection claim on unplanted acreage ends the insurance coverage for the acreage concerned. 2. Emergency measures claim An emergency measures claim may apply when emergency work is done to reduce or eliminate crop losses caused by an insured peril. Your claim takes into account the cultural operations carried out and the inputs used to replant, reseed or save the crop, as calculated by Agricorp. If you apply for a special protection claim, you may be required to provide Agricorp with sales receipts and production records showing products used and work completed. It is possible to receive multiple emergency measures claims on the same acre throughout the season. However, the maximum amount payable for emergency work is 80 percent of the insurable value, for all chosen coverage levels. To be eligible for a claim, any work must be undertaken to avoid or reduce yield losses. Agricorp must first authorize the work and you must complete all emergency work required. Work to destroy the affected crop (either by herbicide or machinery) is eligible for compensation when it is deemed appropriate before reseeding. 3. Abandonment claim Abandonment is authorized when your yield is lower than the abandonment threshold established for each crop class. Abandonment may be authorized at any time in the season as long as an Agricorp representative is able to appraise the damage in the field. Each crop class has a pre-determined abandonment threshold, which is calculated as a unit or weight per acre. Existing customers may obtain current abandonment thresholds from the Intended Crop Planting Sheet contained in your renewal package. New customers may obtain this information from the adjuster at the time of application or by contacting Agricorp. 35

38 An abandonment claim is calculated as: Abandonment claim = insurable value x coverage level x damaged acres Any non-incurred expenses will be deducted from the amount of the claim. Early season abandonment can occur when: The final planting date for the original crop has passed so reseeding is not possible. There is a shortage of seed or transplants. There is no market available for crops with staggered planting. Abandonment threshold adjustment The abandonment threshold may be adjusted downward if your actual crop yield is close to the abandonment threshold due to lower planting density, low productivity caused by agronomic conditions, or if you fail to follow good farm management practices. The abandonment threshold cannot be adjusted upward. Losses due to progressive diseases (onions, rutabagas, summer and winter cabbage, winter squash, red beets and carrots only) If disease is identified before harvest and its progress in storage lowered the sample yield below the abandonment threshold, an abandonment claim may be paid if all of the following conditions are met: i. You provide notice of the peril and/or damage to Agricorp before harvest and an Agricorp inspection before harvest confirms the presence of disease; ii. The damaged crop is stored separately from the rest of the harvested crop and other damaged fields; iii. You have made reasonable efforts to mitigate the damage, including, but not limited to, reasonable efforts to sell the damaged crop; and iv. You attempt to sell the harvested crop within one month of harvest OR you provide proof that it was impossible to sell the crop, in which case you will be required to destroy the crop. Crops with graded harvest (equivalency factors) Graded harvest is only applicable to processing cauliflower, processing celery, cucumbers, peppers, carrots and yellow onions, or crops for which a revised grading standard was approved by Agricorp. Grading standards provide the produce industry with a uniform language for describing the quality and conditions of commodities in the marketplace. Agricorp uses grading standards to determine if a crop is of acceptable quality or in a claim situation. If an insured peril reduced the quality of the crop, an equivalency factor may be applied to the sample yield. The equivalency factor is determined by dividing the price you receive by the market price for Grade No. 1. An equivalency factor may also be applied to crops for which a revised grading standard was approved by Agricorp. 36

39 crop grade Processing cauliflower 1 and 2 Processing celery 1 and 2 Cucumbers 1 and 2 Bell and specialty peppers 1 and 2 Carrots 1 and jumbo Eggplant 1, 2, 3 and 4 Tomatoes 1 and 2 Yellow onions 1 and boilers To calculate the equivalent yield of these crops, the volume of vegetables in each grade is assessed separately. If the price obtained for lower grades is less than the price for the higher grade (grade 1), a conversion is applied to determine what the yield would have been at the higher grade. Destruction of abandonable fields Destruction is mandatory before an abandonment claim is payable for crops with graded harvest or crops for which a revised grading standard was approved when: i. The yield determined by Agricorp is lower than the abandonment threshold for the intended crop grade, however the crop does meet the marketing standards for a secondary use but you are able to demonstrate a) That there is no market for the crop or b) It is not practical to harvest the crop for a secondary market or c) The sample yield is lower than the abandonment threshold after Agricorp has applied an equivalency factor. Windrow crops (excluding pumpkins and squash) Abandonment may be authorized if damage occurs while crops are in a windrow as long as: The windrowing is required for maturation or normal drying of the crop, and Good farm management practices have been followed. Crops that do not require windrowing for maturation or drying are not insured if there is damage after they are harvested into a windrow for storage purposes. 37

40 Leigh Acres Example IV: Calculating a special protection claim Leigh Acres calls in a damage report for excess rain before the yellow onion planting deadline. The adjuster determines that the damaged area is six acres where the onions were intended to be planted and that it is not possible to plant the crop before the deadline. There is no replacement crop. Leigh Acres is eligible for a claim based on the cost of standard procedures used to prepare the land for the intended crop of yellow onions, as follows: Inputs Cost per acre Plowing $25.00 Light tilling $6.45 Fertilizer (actual/element) 100% 20% 20% $81.36 Fertilizer application $5.31 Committed, non-recoverable expenses $12.19 Total per acre $ The special protection claim (SPC) is calculated as: SPC = # of acres x cost/acre x coverage level = 6 acres x $ x 80% = $ Leigh Acres Example V: Calculating an emergency measures claim Leigh Acres contacts Agricorp to report damage to its carrot crop caused by disease. Upon inspection the adjuster determines that all 20 acres have been damaged. Six and a half acres are to be replanted while the other 13.5 acres only require extra fungicide. The damage occurs well before the June 30 planting deadline. The following inputs are used to calculate the claim: Inputs Cost per acre 13.5 acres Fungicide $ acres Earthing-up vegetables $6.16 Light tilling $6.45 Fungicide $ hours $25.20 Seeds (mineral soil) $ Precision seeding $ $

41 Based on the information in the table, the emergency measures claim (EMC) is calculated as: EMC = # of acres x cost/acre = (13.5 acres x $47.00) + (6.5 acres x $480.00) = $ $ = $ While all 20 acres may also still be eligible for an abandonment claim, the total compensation per acre may not be greater than the insurable value Leigh Acres selected for that crop class. Leigh Acres Example VI: Calculating an abandonment claim Leigh Acres spinach has been hit by hail late in the season. Leigh Acres calls in a damage report. The adjuster goes out and measures 4.75 acres that have been damaged. After sampling the damaged spinach to make sure the remaining stand was in fact below the abandonmentthreshold of 1000 pounds per acre, the adjuster authorizes an abandonment claim on all 4.75 acres. The remaining 750 pounds of good spinach on each acre may now be salvaged by Leigh Acres, if the grower determines it is economically worthwhile to do so. The abandonment claim (AC) is calculated as follows: AC = # of Acres X Insurable Value X Coverage Level = 4.75 acres X $1,100 X 85% = $ Note: Because it was late in the season, Leigh Acres had done all the recommended practices so that non-incurred costs were not deducted. If it had been two weeks earlier, Agricorp would have taken off one application of insecticide at $96.85/acre. 39

42 SECTION V: How do I resolve a PI dispute? Agricorp has a dispute resolution process for PI disagreements: If you disagree with a decision about your file, a claim, or your eligibility for PI, contact Agricorp at to speak to a customer care representative. If, after calling, your issue is unresolved, you may request that Agricorp review your issue further. A customer care representative will review the required steps with you. 40

43 Appendix A: Comparison of plan types The following two scenarios are presented to illustrate differences between the yield-based vegetable plan and the FMV-AL plan. Both scenarios are based on 100 acres of yellow seed onion crop grown on mineral soil. Scenario 1 A hailstorm damages 25 acres of the crop after the planting deadline. The damaged 25 acres are not harvested, resulting in an overall yield loss of 25 per cent. Under the yield-based vegetable plan, the yield from the undamaged, harvested acres would offset the lost yield from the damaged acres. A claim may or may not be paid, depending on whether the harvested yield is greater than the guaranteed production (GP). In this scenario, lost yield from the damaged 25 acres resulted in an overall yield loss of 25 per cent, which causes the total actual yield to be less than the guaranteed production (GP) for the crop. As a result, the grower would be eligible for a production claim. Under the FMV-AL plan, an abandonment claim would be paid on the damaged acres at the time the damage occurs, regardless of the yield from the undamaged acres. The grower may receive multiple claim payments on a single acre. This plan type provides spot-loss protection because the yield from the undamaged acreage does not offset the yield from the damaged acreage. Scenario 2 Drought affects the entire acreage, resulting in a 25 per cent overall yield loss. In this case, the grower s yield is below his GP so he would be eligible for a claim under the yield-based vegetable plan. Under the FMV-AL plan, the sample yield is not below the abandonment threshold on any acre, so the grower would not be eligible for an abandonment claim. If the grower had selected FMV-AL hail-only coverage in this scenario, he would also be ineligible for a claim, since drought caused the loss rather than hail. Summary See Table 1.0 on page 42 for example claim calculations for both plan types, when damage is restricted to a specific area. See Table 2.0 on page 43 for example claim calculations for both plan types, when damage is wide spread across all areas. While both scenarios are based on a 25 per cent yield loss, Scenario 1 is a spot-loss situation, while Scenario 2 is an overall yield loss across all acres. In general, the yield-based vegetable plan is more effective where yield and/or quality loss is minor over all the acres and where damage rarely prevents the crop from being harvested. Under spot-loss conditions, the FMV-AL plan pays a higher claim. 41

44 Table 1.0 Example of when damage is restricted to a specific area Yield-Based Vegetable Plan Fresh Market Vegetable - Acreage Loss (FMV-AL) Plan Multiperil Multiperil Hail only Claim price (per 50 lb bag) AFY (50lb bags/acre) A $5.00 Insurable value A $2,000 $2,000 B 784 AFY B N/A N/A Coverage level C 80% Coverage level C 80% 85% GP* (50lb bags/acre) D = B x C Abandonment threshold (50 lb bags) D Acres E 100 Acres E Total GP (50lb bags) Total harvested yield Shortfall (50 lb bags) F = D x E 62,720 Damaged acreage G 58,800 Sampled yield of damaged acreage H = F - G 3,920 Shortfall (sample yield is less than abandonment threshold) F G 0 0 H Yes Yes Claim I = A x H $19,600 Claim If H = yes, then I = A x C x F $40,000 $42,500 Maximum claim J = A x F $313,600 Maximum claim J = A x C x E $160,000 $170,000 Premium amount (% total insurable value) K 4.19% 0.78% Premium/acre K Premium/acre L = A x K $83.80 $15.60 Total premium M = E x K $18,405 Total premium M = E x L $8,380 $1,560 Premium as % of maximum claim N = (M J) x % Premium as % of maximum claim N = (M J) x % 0.9% 42

45 Table 2.0 Example of when damage is wide spread across all areas Average Farm Yield (AFY) Plan Fresh Market Vegetable - Acreage Loss (FMV-AL) Plan Multiperil Multiperil Hail only Claim price (per 50 lb bag) AFY (50lb bags/acre) A $5.00 Insurable value A $2,000 $2,000 B 784 AFY B N/A N/A Coverage level C 80% Coverage level C 80% 85% GP* (50lb bags/acre) D = B x C Abandonment threshold (50 lb bags) D Acres E 100 Acres E Total GP (50lb bags) Total harvested yield Shortfall (50 lb bags) F = D x E 62,720 Damaged acreage G 58,800 Sampled yield of damaged acreage H = F - G 3,920 Shortfall (sample yield is less than abandonment threshold) F 100 N/A G 588 N/A H No N/A Claim I = A x H $19,600 Claim If H = yes, then I = A x C x F $0.00 N/A Maximum claim J = A x F $313,600 Maximum claim J = A x C x E $160,000 $170,000 Premium amount (% total insurable value) K 4.19% 0.78% Premium/acre K Premium/acre L = A x K $83.80 $15.60 Total premium M = E x K $18,405 Total premium M = E x L $8,380 $1,560 Premium as % of maximum claim N = (M J) x % Premium as % of maximum claim N = (M J) x % 0.9% 43

46 Notes: 44

47 Notes: 45

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