Crop Insurance Plan for Blueberries
made under Section 6 of the
Crop and Livestock Insurance Act
R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 113
O.I.C. 2002-487 (effective November 1, 2002), N.S. Reg. 134/2002
amended to O.I.C. 2024-23 (effective January 16, 2024), N.S. Reg. 5/2024
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
Deadline for notice of cancellation of insurance
Coverage
Total guaranteed production
Established prices
Maximum indemnity
Premium
Incorrect acreage
Harvesting
Final date for harvest
Harvest yield report
Evaluation of loss
Citation
1 This plan may be cited as the Crop Insurance Plan for Blueberries.
Purpose
2 The purpose of this plan is to provide for insurance against a reduction in yield of
blueberries, 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
blueberry crop determined in accordance with subsection 10(3);
“designated perils” means the perils designated in Section 4 for the purpose of this
plan;
“highbush blueberries” means all highbush blueberries of any variety that are
produced in Nova Scotia and accepted by the Commission for insurance coverage;
“lowbush blueberries” means all lowbush blueberries produced in Nova Scotia that
are accepted by the Commission for insurance coverage;
“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
pursuant to Section 10.
(2) For the purpose of this plan, a pint of highbush blueberries weighs 14 ounces.
Designation of perils
4 The following are designated as perils for blueberries:
(a) winter injury;
(b) spring frost;
(c) hail;
(d) fall frost;
(e) drought;
(f) excessive moisture;
(g) unavoidable pollination failure;
(h) off crop due to any adverse weather not described in the other designated
perils;
(i) wind;
(j) insects;
(k) plant disease;
(l) wildlife for which there is no known control; and
(m) wildfire.
Designation of crop year
5 The crop year for blueberries is the period from December 1 in any year to September 15
in the following year, except that for Kings County the crop year is the period from
December 1 in any year to September 25 in the following year.
6 [repealed]
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 December
15 of the crop year for which the cancellation is to be effective.
Coverage
9 (1) All acreage of blueberries owned or operated by an insured person and to be
harvested shall be offered for insurance coverage.
(2) The Commission may insure all or part of the acreage of blueberries offered for
insurance coverage.
(3) Upon application in writing by an insured person, the Commission may insure a
blueberry crop on the basis of variety, area, agronomic practice or specified perils.
Total guaranteed production
10 (1) An insured person shall select a coverage level of 70%, 80%, 85% or 90% of the
average insurable yield of an insurable blueberry crop for the purpose of
determining the guaranteed production for that crop in a crop year.
(2) The total guaranteed production for an insured blueberry crop shall be determined by
multiplying the selected coverage level by the average insurable yield for the total
area of that insured blueberry crop.
(3) The average insurable yield of an insurable blueberry 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 shall establish price options for each insurable
blueberry crop and shall announce these options to insured persons before the
beginning of the crop year.
(2) An insured person shall 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 shall be the amount obtained by multiplying the total guaranteed production by
the established price selected pursuant to subsection 11(2).
Premium
13 (1) The base premium rate shall 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) [repealed]
(4) [repealed]
(5) Despite subsections (1) and (2), the minimum annual premium payable by an insured
person in each crop year is $50.
(6) The premium determined pursuant to subsections (1) and (2) includes premium
payments made by the Government of Canada under the Farm Income Protection
Act (Canada) and the Province under the Act.
14 (1) An insured person shall pay the premium less the premium deposit to the
Commission not later than August 1 for the current crop year.
(2) Interest of 1.5% per month or a minimum of $5 per month will be charged on an
overdue account.
Incorrect acreage
15 (1) The Commission may measure the insured acreage by any method that it considers
appropriate.
(2) Despite Section 10, where the actual measured acreage of blueberries in a crop year
is less than the insured acreage, the total guaranteed production and the amount of
insurance shall be reduced accordingly and no refund of premium shall be made.
(3) Despite Section 10, where the actual acreage of blueberries in a crop year exceeds
the insured acreage, the yield will be pro-rated to the insured acreage in calculating
indemnity payable.
16 [repealed]
Harvesting
17 All acreage of blueberries insured shall be harvested in a crop year unless the Commission
consents in writing to a written request by the insured person to abandon or destroy any
part of the insured crop.
18 [repealed]
Final date for harvest
19 The final date for harvest shall be the last day of the crop year or any other date as may be
determined by the Commission, and the Commission may estimate a potential yield for
any insured acreage 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 harvest yield report 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 of the insured acreage is less than the total
guaranteed production for the acreage, the adjustment of loss shall be
calculated by multiplying the difference between the total guaranteed
production and the actual production by the established price;
(b) when loss or damage occurs to an insured crop prior to the completion of
harvest, the Commission may consent in writing to a written request to
abandon any part of the insured acreage and the Commission shall determine
the number of damaged acres and the potential production;
(c) the actual production of all acreage harvested to lowbush blueberries and the
actual production of all acreage harvested to highbush blueberries shall be
taken into account separately.
22 [repealed]
23 [repealed]
The following regulations are not yet in force and are
not included in the current consolidation: