A new program that helps Manitoba farmers adopt sustainable agriculture practices while saving money has been introduced.
The provincial and federal governments have unveiled a Forage Advantage pilot, through Manitoba Crop Insurance.
Given the high cattle population in the Parkland region, Dauphin MLA and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn feels this is a project that a number of producers in our area should consider.
"If you are a grain producer and you have cattle, the opportunity to sell the forage grass or hay is very profitable. But also more importantly I think the fact is when you grow a traditional crop in lighter soils, your yields are always a little lighter. So when you average it out on the good soils and the fertile soils, maybe the incentive such as this will lead you to maybe put those marginal land parcels into forage production and use the opportunity to sell it into the cattle market or other markets."
Beginning in the 2026 crop year, Manitoba farmers that plant perennial forage crops on marginal land will receive a 15 per cent discount on Forage Establishment Insurance premiums.
