The Moisture Deficiency Insurance (pasture) and Moisture Deficiency Endorsement (hay) are area-based programs that compensate clients when the accumulated precipitation at selected weather station(s) in a given year falls below the normal expected precipitation for that weather station according to the payment schedule.

Q: The Moisture Deficiency Insurance and Moisture Deficiency Endorsement programs do not reflect what happened on my farm. Do they work?

The Moisture Deficiency Insurance (MDI) and Moisture Deficiency Endorsement (MDE) programs are based on what happens at the weather station and may not reflect the conditions on the client’s insured fields.

MDI and MDE use the amount of precipitation that falls at the selected weather station(s) for the months and monthly weighting during the insurance period selected.

Losses are paid based on accumulated precipitation at the weather station(s) and not on actual pasture conditions or growth at the farm.

Q: What’s the difference between MDI and MDE?

MDI is an insurance program where the client to insure native, improved, bush, or community pasture.

MDE is an endorsement where the client who chose to insure their dryland hay can purchase additional coverage (15 per cent of 80 per cent dollar coverage for hay type).

Q: Heat and wind can evaporate all the moisture out of the ground. Will I receive a payment?

The MDI and MDE programs insure for one peril – precipitation recorded at the weather station(s) during the elected timeframe.

Coverage does not consider:

  • Soil moisture reserves available to support the crop
  • Winds that dry out soil and plants
  • Pest invasions that develop due to the weather conditions (e.g. grasshoppers)
  • Hail events damaging plant matter

In 2022, a heat component was added whereby for every day that the temperature at the selected weather station(s) reaches 30C or higher, 1.0 mm will be subtracted from the precipitation total for the month. If the temperature reaches or exceeds 35C, 2.0 mm more will be deducted.

Q: Why did I receive a different payment than my neighbour?

The payments a client receives are based on the selections made when the insurance was purchased in February.

Payments can vary due to:

  • Length of season (short vs long)
  • Weighting option (per cent per month)
  • Weather station(s)
  • Pasture type (improved, native, bush)
  • Price option for MDI (high or low)
  • Number of insured acres

Q: Where can I see how much precipitation fell at my selected weather station(s)?

The precipitation data for most of the insured weather stations is provided by Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation and can be viewed at http://agriculture.alberta.ca/acis/weather-data-viewer.jsp

Q: Why are the precipitation normals used for the Moisture Deficiency Insurance and Moisture Deficiency Endorsement programs different than those on Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation’s website?

AFSC uses a 25-year (average) normal for precipitation calculations, while the Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation website uses the average precipitation for 1961 to 2018.

Q: What precipitation is used for the Moisture Deficiency Insurance and Moisture Deficiency Endorsement programs?

AFSC recognizes that not all precipitation is useful. The minimum amount of moisture used in calculating the daily moisture amounts is 1.0 mm.

In addition, when a large amount of precipitation falls not all of it is useful.  Therefore, there are two caps.

  • The most precipitation that AFSC will count on a single day is 100 per cent of the monthly normal.
  • The most precipitation that AFSC will count during a month is 150 per cent of the monthly normal.

Q: Why do I have to wait until the end of the growing season to get a payment from MDE while MDI payments come earlier?

The programs reflect how hay and pasture crops are harvested. MDE has full seasons because hay is harvested at the end of the growing season and stored for livestock feed over the winter. MDI has monthly payments because pasture is harvested throughout the growing season and feed shortages in one period cannot be offset with production in the other period.

Q: How is the hay price set?

The hay price options are set in January and estimate the probable price that it will be for the upcoming year. The variable price benefit (VPB) is automatically included and will increase the dollar coverage if there is a significant price increase within the year.

The VPB for forage is based on the Agriculture and Irrigation’s hay price from the October Farm Input Survey.

Q: When will I be receiving my Moisture Deficiency Insurance and Moisture Deficiency Endorsement indemnity payments?

The MDI and MDE indemnity payments are based on precipitation information from close to 250 weather stations throughout the province. This information is collected in near real time and is quality controlled by the Alberta Climate Information Service.

When the insurable period (month) is over, the daily precipitation data is reviewed for completeness, accuracy, and usefulness. These processes take time. Therefore, the program payments are typically made within one month of the end of the insurance period.

Program Payment – Timing of Payments

  • MDI:
    • May – mid to late June
    • June – mid to late July
    • July – mid to late August
    • August – mid to late September
  • MDE – mid to late September
  • Variable Price Benefit for both MDI and MDE – late November

Q: What changes have been made to the MDI programs in the last few years to make them more relevant?

Feedback from producers resulted in a change to the minimum amount of moisture used in calculating the daily moisture amounts; the new minimum is 1.0 mm up from 0.1 mm.

A heat component was added where every day that the temperature at the selected weather stations(s) reaches 30 C or higher, 1.0 mm is subtracted from the precipitation total for the month; and if the temperature reaches or exceeds 35 C, 2.0 mm more is deducted.

A $13/ton benefit was also added to the hay price to account for the added cost of transporting purchased feed when the client suffers a loss.

Pasture yield normal were updated to be more reflective of the productive capabilities.

If you have additional questions or need assistance, please use Live Chat on our website or AFSC Connect, call our Client Service Centre at 1-877-899-2372 or contact your branch office.