Forage Establishment Insurance (FEI)
Forage Establishment Insurance provides financial assistance to Manitoba farmers if an eligible forage crop fails to establish.
Offered by Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation
Amount
Coverage levels of $65 or $130 per acre (2026); premium costs 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
Forage Establishment Insurance must have the seed incorporated by mechanical means. If a Forage Establishment Insurance crop is planted more than three days after a cover crop, MASC may inspect to verify the cover crop is not excessively damaged.
- Eligible forage crops include spring or fall plantings in any combination of alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, clover, sainfoin, perennial ryegrass, and other perennial grasses (excluding native grasses).
- All acres of new plantings of eligible forage establishment crops must be insured if Forage Establishment Insurance is selected for coverage.
- Spring plantings must be seeded by June 25.
- Spring seeded perennial ryegrass must be seeded with a companion crop to be eligible for Forage Establishment Insurance.
- Fall plantings of perennial grasses (excluding perennial ryegrass seed), alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, sainfoin, and clover must be seeded on or after July 25 but not later than August 15.
- Fall plantings of perennial ryegrass seed must be seeded on or after August 10 but not later than September 5.
- Fall seeded perennial ryegrass, alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, sainfoin, and clover must be planted without a companion crop to be eligible for Forage Establishment Insurance.
About the funding
The coverage level selections available in 2026 are $65 or $130 per acre.
- Premium costs are shared 40 per cent by the producer, 36 per cent by the Government of Canada, and 24 per cent by the Province of Manitoba.
- With theāÆForage AdvantageāÆincentive, producers can reduce their FEI premium costs for growing eligible forage crops on land classified by MASC as having soil types H, I, and J.
Indemnities are dependent on whether the acres were reseeded, overseeded, or destroyed.
No Forage Establishment Insurance indemnity is paid on stands where ground cover of 75 per cent or more of tame species has been attained.
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 |
