Ontario beekeepers now have access to a new production insurance plan that will help them manage financial loss from winter bee colony damage.
Production insurance is part of a suite of business risk management programs designed to help farmers manage losses due to events like weather, pests and disease. The costs of these programs are predictable, stable and shared by producers and the provincial and federal governments.
“To mitigate unforeseen risks experienced by Ontario beekeepers, our government responded to their request to add a risk management plan,” said Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, in a press release.
“The new Bee Mortality Production Insurance plan under the Agriculture Insurance Act promotes best management practices and allows farmers to manage their risk more effectively.”
The insurance plan gives participating beekeepers the confidence and security to reinvest in their operations, encouraging greater innovation, profitability and job creation and provides them with the same financial support that beekeepers in other provinces receive.
“The new Bee Mortality Production Insurance plan recognizes the importance of healthy bees to the livelihood of individual beekeepers and the sustainability of the beekeeping industry,” said Tibor Szabo, president of Ontario Beekeepers’ Association.
To participate, beekeepers must be registered, operate in accordance with the Bees Act, and implement best practices to ensure bee health. The insurance plan will begin Nov. 1.
