GLobal Ag Risk Solutions

[Hopalong]

Saw recent advertisement that GARS can offer more attractive deal to farmers with good agristability margin.
Looked at website but no information on how programs would work together.
Emphasis is on consulting an advisor.
Recent agristability change away from limited program margin makes agristability more attractive again though we were not negatively impacted since limited margin was brought in.

Were satisfied with earlier years of agristability program when we were able to maintain allowable program margin of over $100 per acre.
Do have concern with government affordability and continuing lack of support from farmers.

[Hopalong]

One big accomplishment for agristability would be the move to accrual accounting for many farms.
The old cash accounting without regard to inventory value change is not a true indication of profit or loss.
Hard to run a successful business that way.

[SASKFARMER3]

Everyone who ever got a check comment. please tell us your positives and negatives. I'm curious, Interested, also looking to change our insurance.

Anyone use Just solutions also comment I have looked at them also.

[RD414]

2 sons in gars for four seasons, they got their premium back after hail in first season. Nothing second season and a fairly big payout after the early snow in 2016. They use your yields as you declare but follow up with accounting later. No farm visits but more accountant visits. Takes longer to get paid out. They want a good portion of your inventory sold and then around 1st march, they value rest and finish claim.

[SASKFARMER3]

Lowest price we ever get is in that time frame. So you cant wait for 50% of your canola to end of June or July for a bonus.

Is that correct?

[farmaholic]

It is accrual;

http://www.saskcropinsurance.com/agristability/processing-applications/

[RD414]

Sf3, think you can wait, don't know if they would wait you out and payout after sales or finish up in March/April like they did here. Good question to ask rep.

[Rareearth]

FYI

With crop insurance you can cancel, and so long as you reinstate within 3 years you can keep your experience discounts.

Crop insurance only benefits we have received were for :
- Hail insurance ( years ago, spot loss no longer available)
- crop establishment ( canola)
-harvesting a lower grade than the base grade ( chickpea is a average grade, which means feed no pay out if volume is high enough)

[SASKFARMER3]

All these federal bullshit programs to help the poor AG input and research Industry and put farmers in the last place should go just to a good crop insurance program.

[farmaholic]

After all that research and number crunching, I just sent the Rep an email stating we aren't going to be joining this year...... for all the reasons I've mentioned before.

Ultimately, with all the information I provided them, in my opinion they wouldn't be "blindly" insuring me and therefore I feel I am being penalized with a 0% premium discount. But how would that be fair to other long term participants who "bought and paid for", I mean earned, their premium discount? And that unseeded acreage rider premium will be a donation from our farm, that needs to be optional for us. Our individual yields were coming in right on area averages or greatly above for some specialty crops. The data speaks for itself but.....

[northfarmer]

We have enrolled for the second time after looking at the product since it first came out some time ago.

We felt it made sense last year with the inherent risk of what was certain at that time to be a late spring, and was.

Ended up having a great year and thankfully it did not kick in. Got a better offer this year based on financial performance and again took GARS. Have dropped hail endorsement and stuck with crop insurance as we have good coverage.

The banded fixed margin coverage option that came out in recent years was the product we signed up for and serves as a compliment to crop insurance which will cover input costs.

Solid people to work with and it is all about the numbers. Like any risk management strategy I hope I never draw on it but will be there if we have a wreck.

When I had nothing to lose I was willing to risk it all, now that I have lots to lose I do not want to lose any!

[farmaholic]

For clarification purposes, my comments were for Sask Crop Insurance. Not GARS.