The Ontario government is expanding the Risk Management Program a year earlier than planned by $50 million for a total of $150 million annually.
This funding supports farmers with unforeseen challenges such as fluctuating market prices, extreme weather events like flooding or drought, and disease.
Approximately 80 per cent of eligible commercial production in the cattle, hog, sheep, veal, grains and oilseeds, and edible horticulture sectors in Ontario is covered by the provincial Risk Management Program.
The increased investment in the Risk Management Program is in addition to a $15 million Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program.
Farmers and other operations have access to cost-share funding to help enhance health and safety measures for employees, such as purchasing personal protective equipment, medical testing equipment, enhanced cleaning and disinfection, and temporary or permanent modifications to enhance physical distancing. Support is also available for farmers who experience unexpected costs for housing and transportation as a result of a COVID-19 outbreak on their farm.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Applications for the Risk Management Program will reopen today to allow eligible farmers the opportunity to apply to the program. The deadline to apply closes at midnight on July 30th, 2020.
- Producers should contact the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ delivery agent, Agricorp, to enroll in the Risk Management Program and AgriStability or to discuss their individual files.
- In response to COVID-19, the federal and Ontario governments have added labour as an insured risk to Production Insurance for the 2020 growing season.
- Canada and Ontario have also announced up to $10 million of support for beef and pork sectors through AgriRecovery.
- Ontario has an estimated 49,600 farms that contribute an estimated $7.6 billion annually to the province’s economy.
More Information:
Additional Resources
- Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- Agricorp
- Risk Management Program
- Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.
