The governments of Canada and Saskatchewan have announced that satellite-based technology will replace weather station monitoring in the province’s forage insurance program starting in 2026.
Federal agriculture and agri-food minister Heath MacDonald and Saskatchewan agriculture minister David Marit said Satellite Forage Insurance will replace the Forage Rainfall Insurance Program (FRIP). All existing FRIP customers will be automatically enrolled in the new program.
“We continue to look for innovative ways to support producers as they face ongoing unpredictable moisture conditions,” MacDonald said. “This program is a great example of how governments are using new and more localized data in business risk management program decision-making.”
The new program uses satellite technology to measure soil moisture. Claims and premiums are now localized at the township level where insured hay or pasture is located. Coverage activates when soil moisture shortages occur. Producers can choose from high, medium, and low coverage levels that vary by soil zone, along with two monthly weighting options.
Marit emphasized the province’s commitment to agricultural producers.
“Agriculture is essential to Saskatchewan,” Marit said. “We are proud to stand behind our producers with further development of forage programs. Satellite Forage Insurance reflects our commitment to supporting Saskatchewan’s producers with insurance that is relevant, responsive, and accurate.”
Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president Bill Huber welcomed the program as an improvement over previous monitoring methods.
“Saskatchewan’s producers face tremendous variability when it comes to weather and growing conditions,” Huber said. “The introduction of Satellite Forage Insurance is another important step in providing tools that better reflect what is happening on the ground.”
Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president Jeff Yorga said the new program addresses long-standing concerns with basis risk, noting that measuring conditions at the local level will make payments more reflective of actual ground conditions.
Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association chair Chad Ross acknowledged that while the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation had improved FRIP over the years, reliance on weather stations created challenges for producers selecting appropriate monitoring locations.
“Moving to a program that uses satellite provides a more localized focus for producers and may result in a more accurate and responsive program,” Ross said.
Producer information packages detailing coverage options and premiums will be available in mid to late February, according to a news release. Producers with questions can contact their local SCIC office.
The program receives support from the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Crop insurance operates as a federal-provincial-producer cost-shared program designed to help producers manage production and quality losses.
