Maple Syrup Insurance Plan
made under Section 6 of the
Crop and Livestock Insurance Act
R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 113
O.I.C. 2010-336 (effective September 8, 2010), N.S. Reg. 133/2010
amended to O.I.C. 2021-15 (effective January 26, 2021), N.S. Reg. 29/2021
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
Click here to go to the text of the regulations.
Citation
Purpose
Interpretation
Designation of perils
Designation of crop year
Application deadline
Deadline for notice of cancellation of insurance
Coverage
Total guaranteed production
Established prices
Maximum indemnity
Calculating premium
Paying premium
Determining number of insurable taps
Carry-over of crop
Harvesting
Final date for harvest
Harvest yield report
Evaluation of loss
Citation
1 These regulations may be cited as the Maple Syrup Insurance Plan.
Purpose
2 The purpose of this plan is to provide for insurance against a reduction in yield of maple
syrup resulting from one or more of the perils designated in Section 4.
Interpretation
3 (1) In this plan,
“Act” means the Crop and Livestock Insurance Act;
“average insurable yield” means the average insurable yield of an insurable maple
syrup crop determined in accordance with subsection 10(3);
“degrees Brix” is a measurement of the dissolved sugar-to-water mass ratio of a
liquid;
“designated perils” means the perils designated in Section 4 for the purpose of this
plan;
“maple trees” means all maple trees of any variety from which maple syrup is
produced in Nova Scotia that are accepted by the Commission for insurance
coverage;
“tap” means a device that is fitted to a maple tree for harvesting sap for producing
maple syrup;
“terms and conditions of the Contract of Insurance” means the terms and conditions
set out in the Contract of Insurance in Form 1 to the General Crop Insurance Plans
Regulations made under the Act;
“total guaranteed production” means the total guaranteed production determined in
accordance with Section 10.
(2) For the purpose of this plan, a litre of maple syrup is defined as 1 L of syrup at 66 to
67.5 degrees Brix.
Designation of perils
4 The following are designated as perils for maple syrup production:
(a) insects;
(b) excessive summer drought;
(c) below-average summer sun or heat;
(d) wind;
(e) ice;
(f) wildlife for which there is no known control;
(g) adverse weather that prevents collection;
(h) off-crop due to any adverse weather not described in the other designated
perils;
(i) fire;
(j) absence of cool and warm temperature cycling during the collection period;
and
(k) disease.
Designation of crop year
5 The crop year for maple syrup production is the period from May 1 in any year to April 30
in the following year.
Application deadline
6 For the purpose of clause 4(2)(b) of the General Crop Insurance Plans Regulations, an
application for insurance under this plan must be filed with the Commission before the 1st
day of the 1st crop year for which the contract of insurance is to be in force, or another
date at the Commission’s discretion.
7 [repealed]
Deadline for notice of cancellation of insurance
8 For the purpose of clause 4(1)(a) of the terms and conditions of the Contract of Insurance,
a notice of cancellation of insurance under this plan must be given no later than May 15 of
the crop year for which the cancellation is to be effective.
Coverage
9 (1) All of the taps owned or operated by an insured person and to be harvested must be
offered for insurance coverage.
(2) The Commission may insure all or some of the taps offered for insurance coverage.
(3) On written application by an insured person, the Commission may insure a maple
syrup crop on the basis of variety, area, agronomic practice or specified perils.
Total guaranteed production
10 (1) An insured person must select a coverage level of 70%, 80%, 85% or 90% of the
average insurable yield of an insurable maple syrup crop for the purpose of
determining the guaranteed production for that crop in a crop year.
(2) Subject to any adjustment made under subsection 15(2) or (3), the total guaranteed
production for an insured maple syrup crop is determined by multiplying the selected
coverage level by the average insurable yield for the total area of that insured maple
syrup crop.
(3) The average insurable yield of an insurable maple syrup crop is the potential
production of that crop as determined by the Commission from the insured person’s
yield records, subject to a methodology developed by an actuary and approved by the
Commission.
Established prices
11 (1) For each crop year, the Commission must establish price options for each insurable
maple syrup crop and announce these options to insured persons before the
beginning of the crop year.
(2) An insured person must select one of the price options as the established price to be
used for calculating premium and indemnity in their contract of insurance.
Maximum indemnity
12 The maximum indemnity for which the Commission is liable under a contract of insurance
is the amount obtained by multiplying the total guaranteed production by the established
price option selected under subsection 11(2).
Calculating premium
13 (1) The base premium rate must be based on a methodology set by an actuary and
approved by the Commission.
(2) The base premium rate must be adjusted by a factor approved by the Commission in
consultation with an actuary.
(3) The maximum discount that may be given under subsection (2) is 50% and the
maximum surcharge that may be added under subsection (2) is 100%.
(4) Despite subsections (1) to (3), the minimum annual premium payable by an insured
person in each crop year is $50.
(5) The premium determined under subsections (1) to (3) includes premium payments
made by the Government of Canada under the Farm Income Protection Act
(Canada) and by the Province under the Act.
Paying premium
14 (1) An insured person must pay the premium less the premium deposit to the
Commission no later than August 1 for the current crop year.
(2) Interest of 1.5% per month, or a minimum of $5 per month, is charged on an
overdue account.
Determining number of insurable taps
15 (1) The Commission may determine the number of insurable taps by any method that it
considers appropriate.
(2) If the actual number of taps in a crop year is less than the insured number of taps, the
total guaranteed production and the amount of insurance is reduced accordingly and
no premium refund is payable.
(3) If the actual number of taps in a crop year exceeds the insured number of taps, the
total guaranteed production is pro-rated to the insured number of taps in calculating
the indemnity payable.
Carry-over of crop
16 If, before harvest, an insured person believes that they will have a claim on an insured
maple syrup crop, and if the insured person has any carry-over of maple syrup in storage,
either purchased or produced by the insured person, the insured person must report the
carry-over in writing before the beginning of harvest, or the Commission may regard the
carry-over as new production.
Harvesting
17 All taps that are insured must be harvested within the crop year unless the Commission
consents in writing to a written request by the insured person to abandon or destroy any
part of the intended harvest.
18 [repealed]
Final date for harvest
19 The final date for harvest is the last day of the crop year or any other date determined by
the Commission, and the Commission may estimate a potential yield for any insured taps
not harvested by that date.
Harvest yield report
20 No later than 30 days after the completion of harvest, an insured person must file a harvest
yield report on a form provided by the Commission for this purpose.
Evaluation of loss
21 For the purpose of determining the reduction in yield of an insured crop in a crop year and
any indemnity payable,
(a) when the actual production from the insured taps is less than the total
guaranteed production for the taps, the adjustment of loss is calculated by
multiplying the difference between the total guaranteed production and the
actual production by the established price; and
(b) when loss or damage occurs to an insured crop before harvest is completed, the
Commission may consent in writing to a written request to abandon any part of
the insured taps and in that case the Commission must determine the extent of
the damage and the potential production.
22 [repealed]
23 [repealed]
The
following regulations are not yet in force and are not included in the current
consolidation: