Forage Production Insurance

Last updated on August 7, 2026

Close-up of a lush field of green forage plants with clusters of small purple flowers scattered throughout, set against a softly blurred background of similar vegetation, with large white text reading “Forage” overlaid across the center.

Production insurance provides important risk protection for forage producers in British Columbia by helping offset losses from weather, pests, and other uncontrollable events.

Application and payment deadlines

  • November 30 for perennial forage crops
  • April 30 for silage corn and forage spring plantings

 

 

Types of coverage

Yield Loss

Yield Loss coverage protects you when you harvest less forage that what you've insured. Available on all forage crops  - grass, legumes, greenfeed, silage corn, and perennial forage. 

  • Production loss coverage: you can choose to protect 50% (minimum), 70% or 80% of your probable yield.
  • Insurable value (replacement value): choosing a higher level of production loss coverage allows you to increase the replacement value up to 100%.

Perennial Forage Plant Loss

Forage Plant Loss covers damage to perennial forage plants due to weather perils like frost, flooding, drought, or winterkill.

  • Production loss coverage: you can choose to protect 80% or 90% of your acres.
  • Insurable value (replacement value): you can select a replacement value of 80% or 100%.

Forage Supply Loss

Optional coverage available to protect against loss of forage supply impacting feed availability. 

  • Acts as a supplement to your base yield loss coverage during severe regional shortages.
  • An indemnity is only triggered if the total forage yield for your entire Forage Supply Reference Region (Peace) falls below 60%.
    • If the 60% regional trigger is met, the coverage will compensate you when your farm's yield falls below 80% of your probable yield.

Reseeding Indemnity

Provides silage corn producers compensation to reseed early-season losses when reseeding is done promptly. For reseeding, coverage is available for 80% of your unseeded insurable value. You must be able to seed the same or another crop before the seeding deadline.

Unseeded Acreage

Protects silage corn producers against the inability to seed due to excessive moisture in the spring.

  • Production loss coverage: you can choose to protect 80% or 90% of your acres.
  • Insurable value (replacement value): you can select a replacement value of 80% or 100%.


IMPORTANT: Forage coverage is governed by the Forage Policy (PDF, 1.1MB), which outlines coverage terms, conditions and perils.
 

 

 

Coverage by crop type

Crop type Yield Loss Coverage Perennial Forage Plant Loss Unseeded Acreage Reseeding Indemnity Forage Supply Loss
Spring Annuals (Greenfeed) ✅
❌
 ❌ ❌ ✅
Perennial Forage ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅
Silage Corn ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ ❌
 

Insured perils by coverage type

Coverage type Insured perils  
Yield Loss 
  • Hail
  • Drought
  • Excessive moisture, including rainfall and flooding
  • Wind
  • Uncontrollable insect infestation
  • Uncontrollable plant disease
  • Fire
  • Freeze
  • Snow
  • Spring Frost
  • Landslide

for silage corn only;

  • Uncontrollable wildlife
  • Waterfowl
  
Perennial Forage Plant Loss

A Yield Loss Peril that renders at least 5 acres no longer economical to maintain

  

Reseeding Indemnity
(Silage corn only) 

A Yield Loss Peril to silage corn that is damaged before June 11

  

Unseeded Acreage Loss
(Silage corn only)

Inability to seed silage corn before June 11 due to

  • excessive moisture
  
Forage Supply Loss 

A Yield Loss Peril that causes any reduction in yield of a forage crop (other than silage corn), below 80% of probable yield.

 

Steps to insure your crops

To get Production Insurance, you will need to complete an application that includes details about your farm history, field and land inventory (including maps), and your tax reporting information. Review the Forage Application Package (PDF, 930KB) to become familiar with what is required.

Expand All | Collapse All
 

1. Book an appointment

Applications are not just "fill-and-submit". A representative will walk you through the application, coverage levels, and deadlines. 

 

2. Complete the application

During your appointment, you will:

  • Fill out the application forms with your program representative
  • Identify the crops you need to insure
  • Review coverage options
 

3. Pay premiums

Premiums are cost-shared up to 80% with the provincial and federal governments - making coverage more affordable for you!

  • Pay your premiums by the application and payment deadline to ensure your coverage is set for the season. Coverage cannot be purchased after the start of the crop year.

Once you have signed up for Production Insurance, you will receive an updated Offer Package every year; 30 days before the start of the crop year. Learn more about the Production Insurance renewal process.

 

When to file a claim

Submit a Notice of Loss as soon as damage is observed. Perils, coverage conditions and exclusions are outlined in the Policy Wording.

How to file a claim

 

Forms

Expand All | Collapse All
 

All forms


Production Insurance for forage is governed by the Forage Policy (PDF, 1.1MB).


The Forage Application Package (PDF, 930KB) includes all of the following:


A Declaration of Production (DOP) is needed at the end of your production cycle and also when submitting a claim.

 

How to download printable/fillable PDF's

Right click on the file and select the download link or attachment option

  1. Choose a save location
  2. Wait for the download to complete
  3. Open the downloaded document from where you saved it
  4. Fill in the required information
  5. Submit your form

 

How to submit your application and forms

The application package and forms can be submitted to Production Insurance by mail, email or fax.

Regional  office Phone Fax E-mail
Dawson Creek office:
4th floor, 1201 103rd Avenue
Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4J2		 1-888-221-7141 250-784-2299 ProductionInsurance.DawsonCreek@gov.bc.ca
Fort St. John office:
3rd Floor 10003 110th Avenue
Fort St. John, BC V1J 6M7		 1-888-822-1345 250-787-3299 ProductionInsurance.FtStJohn@gov.bc.ca

Need Help? Contact us! Program Representatives are available to answer questions, help with forms and support the application process.  

 

Explore other Production Insurance plans

 

Close-up view of fresh blueberries filling the frame, showing their deep blue-purple color and textured surfaces, with large white text reading “Berries” overlaid across the center.

Close-up of colorful tulips in various stages of bloom, including a prominent orange and red flower surrounded by green stems and unopened buds, with large white text reading “Flower Bulbs” overlaid across the center.

Close-up of golden-brown wheat stalks standing upright in a field, with detailed grain heads and warm sunlight highlighting their texture, with large white text reading “Grain” overlaid across the center.

Close-up of clusters of dark purple grapes hanging on the vine among large green leaves, with sunlight filtering through the foliage, and large white text reading “Grapes” overlaid across the center.

Close-up of ripe peaches hanging from a tree branch among long green leaves, with warm sunlight highlighting the fruit’s yellow and reddish tones, and large white text reading “Tree Fruit” overlaid across the center.

Close-up of assorted root vegetables, including orange, purple, and white carrots along with beets, one sliced to show a red and white ring pattern, arranged closely together, with large white text reading “Vegetables” overlaid across the center.

Brought to you by Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership