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Governments trigger AgriStability late participation for PEI farmers

October 16, 2018  By Fruit and Veg magazine



Agriculture is essential to the rural way of life on Prince Edward Island. Governments remain committed to the continued expansion and success of the PEI agricultural sector by ensuring producers have the tools they need to manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farms.

Prince Edward Island experienced an abnormal amount of frost in June 2018, which caused widespread crop damage across PEI.
The damage has resulted in significant income challenges for a number of producers who need support during difficult times.

To ensure producers have access to the support they need, the governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island have agreed to trigger the late participation mechanism under AgriStability for the 2018 program year.

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The late participation mechanism, a new feature introduced under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, allows producers to join and benefit from the program after the enrolment deadline has passed in situations where there is a significant income decline in the farm sector and a gap in participation.

“Severe weather plays havoc for the agriculture sector and our Government is committed to supporting our farmers to ensure they are equipped to recovery quickly. The new AgriStability late trigger mechanism under the Partnership is one tool, in addition to the suite of Business Risk Management programs, that PEI farmers can rely on to deal with farm income losses,” says Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

AgriStability provides support when producers experience a large margin decline. AgriInvest provides cash flow to help producers manage income declines. AgriInsurance provides cost-shared insurance against natural hazards to reduce the financial impact of production or asset losses.

“The killing frost in June reduced yields for many wild blueberry growers at a time when we’re already getting record low payments for our fruit. Getting in on Agri-stability now could be a real help for some farmers. The PEI Wild Blueberry Growers’ Association thanks Ministers Lawrence MacAulay and Robert Henderson for extending this safety net to help us out. We look forward to working with them on other issues of concern to our members,” said Rob MacLean, president, PEI Wild Blueberry Growers Association.

More information on late participation for 2018 AgriStability will be mailed to PEI producers in the coming weeks. For more information on AgriStability, producers can visit the program website or call toll-free at 1-855-251-9695.


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