Enhanced Quality Option (Alfalfa)
The Enhanced Quality Option provides producers of high quality alfalfa the opportunity to purchase an additional Relative Feed Value guarantee for alfalfa.
Offered by Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation
Amount
Claims are calculated based on a $1.25 per tonne for each Relative Feed Value point below the assigned Relative Feed Value; premium cost shared 40 per cent by the producer, 36 per cent by the Government of Canada and 24 per cent by the Province of Manitoba
Quick eligibility check
Who can apply
- The Enhanced Quality Option is available to Manitoba producers with alfalfa acres insured under Select Hay Insurance and have demonstrated that they have produced high quality hay in the past three years.
- Production must be placed into acceptable storage. For example: bales must be wrapped, tarped, or shedded.
About the funding
- Producers with Select Hay Insurance can add the Enhanced Quality Option, which allows them to increase their Relative Feed Value coverage above the Select Hay Relative Feed Value guarantee of 105.
- Assigned Relative Feed Value for 2026 is 130.
- Every new producer in 2026 will start with an assigned Relative Feed Value of 105. For each claim-free year, a producer’s assigned Relative Feed Value increases by five points to a maximum of 150. For each claim year, a producer’s assigned Relative Feed Value decreases by five points to a minimum of 110.
- Relative Feed Value guarantee is calculated:
Show all funding details
Relative Feed Value Guarantee
= (assigned Relative Feed Value – Select Hay Relative Feed Value guarantee) x 90% + Select Hay Relative Feed Value guarantee
= (130 – 105) x 0.9 + 105
= 128 (rounded)
- Relative Feed Value coverage is calculated:
Relative Feed Value Coverage
= (Relative Feed Value guarantee – Select Hay Relative Feed Value guarantee) x tonnes of Select Hay alfalfa coverage
- Claims are calculated based on a $1.25 per tonne for each Relative Feed Value point below the assigned Relative Feed Value.
- Relative Feed Value testing is done by MASC at no cost to producers.
- The premium cost is shared 40 per cent by the producer, 36 per cent by the Government of Canada, and 24 per cent by the Province of Manitoba.
Similar programs
| Program | Type | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AgriInsurance for Organic Crops | Insurance | Organic crop insurance coverage based on individual yield history (50 per cent of the conventional average yield for each year of missing data), with the premium cost shared 40 per cent by the producer, 36 per cent by the Government of Canada and 24 per cent by the Province of Manitoba | Open |
| Basic Hay Insurance | Insurance | Coverage of 80 per cent of the Probable Yield, valued at the High Dollar Value ($114 per tonne) or Low Dollar Value ($68 per tonne) option | Open |
| Contract Price Option | Insurance | No fixed amount | Open |
| Corn Insurance | Insurance | Coverage of 50, 70, or 80 per cent of probable yield, or Crop Coverage Plus (CCP) up to 90 per cent coverage (excluding silage) | Open |
