Hay Disaster Benefit
The Hay Disaster Benefit compensates for the increased cost of hay and transportation when there is a severe provincial forage shortfall and reduces the need for emergency assistance programs.
Offered by Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation
Amount
$44 per tonne of production shortfall under Select Hay Insurance or Basic Hay Insurance (2026 Hay Disaster Benefit Dollar Value); there is no cost to the producer
Quick eligibility check
Who can apply
All insured hay types (alfalfa, alfalfa grass mixtures, grasses, sweet clover, and coarse hay) are eligible.
Producers enrolled in Select Hay Insurance and Basic Hay Insurance are automatically enrolled in the Hay Disaster Benefit.
About the funding
The premium is cost shared 60 per cent by the Government of Canada, and 40 per cent by the Province of Manitoba. There is no cost to the producer.
- The Hay Disaster Benefit pays an additional amount per tonne of production shortfall under Select Hay Insurance or Basic Hay Insurance.
- The Hay Disaster Benefit Dollar Value for 2026 is $44 per tonne.
- The payment to a producer is triggered when:
Show all funding details
- There is a significant provincial hay yield loss (more than 20 per cent of the producers insured by AgriInsurance have less than 50 per cent of their long-term probable yield), and
- The producer has a claim under Select Hay Insurance or Basic Hay Insurance.
- The provincial trigger is based on data collected from all Harvested Production Reports province-wide, including an adjustment for quality loss.
When triggered, producers receive an automatic payment based on their Select Hay Insurance or Basic Hay Insurance claim.
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 |
