Farmers have until the end of the day on Thursday to apply for, renew, or make adjustments to their Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation program.

The 2016 program includes a number of changes President and CEO Shawn Jaques says SCIC has improved the forage insurance program by removing the cap on the variable and in-season pricing option:

"We've removed the 50 per cent cap on the variable price option and the in-season option for forage and livestock producers. What that means,  it that if the market prices raises over the course of the year, like it did in 2015 with the dry conditions. Producers who select those options will that increase reflected  in their forage claims."

Forage coverage has also increased more than 30 per cent and the Establishment Benefit is up to $70 per acre.

Jaques says this year’s program includes a number of enhancements like expanding the insurable area for faba beans to cover the entire province.

"Faba beans have been insured by SCIC for a number of years but typically have been in the northern parts of the province where moisture conditions are a lot higher. Improvements to genetics, there are some new varieties out there... [and] the ability to be grown in other parts of the province. Recognizing that, we've expanded coverage to the entire province, so producers can insure that crop."

They’ve also increased the Establishment Benefit for soybeans, lentils, barley and Khorasan wheat and added an Establishment Benefit of $30 per acre for camelina.

Once again the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation deadline is March 31st.