The Saskatchewan crop insurance deadline for seeding crops to greenfeed has been extended to July 15 from the former deadline of June 30, the government announced today. Dry conditions across much of the province prompted the provincial and federal governments to today announce several measures designed to help farmers and ranchers cope. The extended deadline allows producers to seed and insure any cereal greenfeed crop, including those who have not previously endorsed greenfeed on their insurance contracts. They now have until July 15 to select that endorsement and seed a crop. Dry conditions have slowed and in some cases halted both crop and pasture development and have also limited hay crop growth and potential. That has created concerns about crop viability and available livestock feed now and for the coming winter. “Current dry conditions across the province are forcing producers to revisit how they are managing their forage and pastures,” said Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit. “That is why we are announcing a number of flexible options for producers today.” Some producers may want to use a stunted cereal crop for livestock grazing and they are directed to contact crop insurance to learn their options. Producers “can register a pre-harvest claim if they do not want to carry the crop through to harvest. If the producer takes their crop to harvest, but it has a reduced yield, they can file a post-harvest claim,” said the government news release. “Producers concerned about the dry conditions should contact their local crop insurance office to review the options available for claims, compensation and the requirements for the options they choose.” The release said the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. is working to ensure timely responses to crop insurance claims and inquiries. As for the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP), the 60-day continuous criteria will be waived for the 2019 grazing season for those who have purchased that insurance. WLPIP is insurance based on a forward market price for cattle. The governments also announced that the enrolment deadline for AgriStability in the 2019 program year has been extended to July 2. Saskatchewan Agriculture has programs offered under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership for agricultural water sources, and regional offices can provide information on feeding strategies, permission requests for crown land leases, water testing and test result interpretation. “In addition, crown land lessees with excess grazing or hay resources may request permission to: sub-lease their pasture; graze non-owned cattle on the lease; harvest some or all of the hay on the lease; and sell hay from the lease,” the government said. Producers who use that option for grazing will pay the same amount as other crown land lessees and will be responsible for managing the stock, temporary fencing and water requirements not already in place. Source - https://www.producer.com