Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation

Eligibility

 

Designated Area

To receive payment from the Manitoba Forage Restoration Assistance Program, an eligible producer must have grown eligible forage crops located within the Program's Designated Area, which includes:

• the RMs of St. Laurent, Coldwell, Siglunes, Bifrost, Eriksdale, Armstrong, Gimli, Mossey River, Ethelbert, Lawrence, Grahamdale, Fisher, Alonsa, Mountain South, St. Andrews, Rockwood, Woodlands, Ste. Rose, Ochre River, Dauphin, McCreary, Glenella, and Lakeview;
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• the First Nations of Peguis, Fisher River, Lake Manitoba, Ebb and Flow, Sandy Bay, Little Saskatchewan, Lake St. Martin, Dauphin River, Kinonjeoshtegon, O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi, Skownan, and Pinaymootang; or
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• Areas of Northern Affairs jurisdiction that are south of Township 38.

 

Eligible Applicants

To qualify as an Eligible Applicant for the MFRAP, you must:

• be an individual aged 18 years or older, a partnership (with all partners 18 years of age or older at the time of application), a corporation, a cooperative, or a commune;
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• owned or operated the Eligible Forage Restoration Acreage in 2008, and will incur the costs to destroy the damaged crop;
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• if a tenant, obtain consent from the landowner to apply for this payment; and
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• be liable to pay Manitoba income tax or corporate tax on farming activities under The Income Tax Act (Manitoba), or be a permanent resident of Manitoba who is specifically exempt from paying income tax.
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Notes:

• Research stations and other government funded agencies or institutions are not eligible for this Program.
• A landowner cannot apply for the same Eligible Forage Restoration Acreage as his or her tenant.

Eligible Forage Crops

Forage crops eligible for the MFRAP include established tame forage crops (excluding sweet clover and perennial ryegrass) that:

• were used, or were intended to be used, in 2008 for the purpose of producing seed or feed, or for grazing livestock (pasture); and
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• as a result of excess moisture conditions in 2008, have (on average) less than 75% ground cover of tame species, as determined by the Program Administrators through inspections.
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Notes:

• Eligibility of all crops are as determined by the Program Administrators.
• Native hay crops, native pasture, sweet clover and perennial ryegrass are not eligible for this Program.
• The MFRAP applies only to established crops. Crops sown in the spring or fall of 2008 are not eligible.

Eligible Forage Restoration Acreage

An 'Eligible Forage Restoration Acreage' is the area of Eligible Forage Crops grown in the Designated Area in 2008 that is eligible for payment, subject to the following exclusions, for which no payment will be made:

• where the applicant has a total of less than 10 acres of Eligible Forage Crop;
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• where the area of Eligible Forage Crop is less than 5 contiguous acres, unless it is the entire acreage of the field;
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• where the crop has been destroyed or the related land has been cultivated prior to the Program Administrators carrying out an inspection; and
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• where an acreage of Eligible Forage Crop that the Program Administrators have identified as eligible for payment has not been destroyed by cultivation or chemical application prior to October 1st, 2009, unless the land was continously too wet for the crop to be destroyed prior to that date.

Notes:

• The above criteria for Eligible Forage Restoration Acreage shall be determined by the Program Administrators.

 

Payments

There is no cost to livestock producers for this Program. Under the AgriRecovery framework, the costs of the Manitoba Forage Restoration Assistance Program are shared by the Government of Canada (60%) and the Manitoba Government (40%).

Subject to provisions outlined in the MFRAP Terms & Conditions, the maximum amount an eligible applicant will be paid is $40 per eligible acre. Depending on availability of funding, payments may be reduced or made as an initial and final payment to remain within the program budget.

Notes:

• Program payments cannot be assigned, or deferred to a subsequent tax year.
• Tax information slips required under the Income Tax Act (Canada) will be issued in the name of the applicant.
• Program payments will be considered allowable income for the purposes of the AgriStability program, in the Program year only.
• Program payments will not be considered allowable revenue for the purposes of the AgriInvest program.
• Program payments may be subject to pro-rating to allow for the Program to stay within budget.

 

Application & Deadline

If you own or operate Eligible Forage Restoration Acreage and think you're eligible for the Program, determine which of the following scenarios applies:

• If you are insured with MASC and you have selected coverage in 2009 on your forage crops: you do not need to take any action. An MASC adjustor will contact you to inspect your acreage and assist you with completing the Application Form.
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• If you are a participant in AgriInsurance in 2009 with MASC, but have not selected coverage on your forage crops: you will be sent an application package in the mail. If you think you qualify for this Program, complete the MFRAP Application Form and return it by fax or by mail to the address indicated on the application or in person to your local MASC office.
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• If you are not presently a participant in AgriInsurance with MASC: download the MFRAP Application Form and Terms & Conditions from the links below, or ask for these documents at your local MASC office or MAFRI GO office. Complete the Application Form and return it by fax or by mail to the address indicated on the application or in person to your local MASC office.

Deadline:

• All applications must be received (or postmarked) by June 30th, 2009.

Application Downloads

This program is no longer accepting new applicants.