He was unemployed and receiving welfare, but Adekunle Adetiloye was somehow still living lavishly, complete with a Range Rover vehicle, extended trips to England and an expensive condominium.

That alone piqued authorities’ interest, but then there were two credit cards tucked away in his wallet that seemed to confirm suspicions that the Canadian was up to something nefarious. The pieces of plastic each bore different names – Donald Douglas and Vincent Andriole – and helped authorities prosecute a case they describe as one of the largest high-tech bank robberies in U.S. history.

“Characterizing this fraud scheme as massive, if anything, is an understatement,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Chase from North Dakota said in court documents.

Adetiloye, 30, was sentenced Monday to nearly 18 years in prison on fraud charges. He was convicted of mail fraud, but authorities believe he masterminded a scheme to open nearly 600 fraudulent bank accounts and bilk 22 major banks out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Federal prosecutor Nick Chase said during the sentencing hearing in North Dakota that Adetiloye had an “insatiable hunger for other people’s money.”

U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson handed down a 214-month prison term and scheduled a Feb. 15 hearing to discuss returning the nearly $1.5 million in losses to credit card companies and banks.

Defence lawyer Richard Henderson had asked for a sentence of fewer than 16 years. Henderson said any prison time for his client, a native of Nigeria, is more difficult than it would be for American citizens because he has no family in the United States.

Ahead of the sentencing, lawyers on both sides declined requests from The Associated Press to comment.

But investigators’ efforts to deconstruct the multifarious case are laid out in the nearly 12,000 pages of court documents filed by lawyers in federal court.

Greg Krier, lead credit-card fraud investigator for U.S. Bank, testified that it was the most complex case he had ever seen. His company, which has its own fraud unit, launched special training sessions focusing on the case in hopes of catching the culprits.

The case wound up in North Dakota after U.S. Bank’s customer service centre in Fargo intercepted calls by Adetiloye and others. The complexity of the scheme, which took five years to investigate and litigate, was highlighted in a sentencing phase that has lasted nearly a year and included numerous hearings and briefings.

The lead investigator, one of 25 people who worked on the case, put in 2,000 hours, authorities said.

Defence lawyers had argued that their client, the only person charged in the case, was a “marginal and minimal participant” whose role was to handle mail and withdraw money from ATMs. The government and the judge have said otherwise.

Investigators said the operation accessed information of nearly 16,000 people, about 500 of whom had their identities stolen for the purpose of obtaining credit cards. It’s alleged that more than 100 commercial mailboxes were opened under false or stolen identities.

The government said Adetiloye went so far as to mask his handwriting after a judge ordered a test of his calligraphy

Erickson, the federal judge, said in court documents ahead of the sentencing that the evidence “indisputably demonstrates” that Adetiloye was a leader or organizer of the scheme. The judge has calculated losses to banks at about $1.5 million, but said it could have been as high as $5 million if credit limits had been maxed out.

The trauma cannot be measured, Erickson said.

“The non-monetary harm to the victims was substantial,” the judge wrote. “They lost sleep, they lost time with their families, they lost time at work, and they lost their sense of security. Some victims spent hours trying to reclaim their credit record and their identities.”

Court documents show that U.S. Bank suffered the most number of tainted accounts, at 130, for a total loss of about $76,000. The companies alleged to have lost the most money were Citibank, at about $271,000, and Discover, at about $248,000.

Brett Bogan, the security investigations manager at Reed Elsevier, the parent company of LexisNexis and ChoicePoint, told the court that data breaches of this type are extremely rare and knew of only one other case like it. He said the company sent out notices to more than 32,000 people whose personal information was compromised by the scheme.

“With their combined extensive and nationwide perspective, those entities place this fraud scheme at or near the top of their historical lists in terms of size and complexity,” Chase said in court documents.

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“Well, I thought that you were trying to catch that car ahead of me.” This is a common reply when drivers are stopped to explain why they didn’t pull over for the police vehicle trying to catch an obvious violator. The vehicle ahead of these drivers might be the object of the pursuit, but how is that driver to know?

The driver doesn’t need to know. On the approach or an emergency vehicle, police, fire or ambulance, that is sounding a siren and showing a flashing red light a driver must yield the right of way and IMMEDIATELY drive to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the nearest edge of the roadway clear of an intersection, STOP, and REMAIN STOPPED until the emergency vehicle has passed. A driver doesn’t have to consider who is being pulled over because EVERYONE must pull over and stop. This includes drivers on BOTH SIDES OF THE ROADWAY regardless how many lanes wide it might be.

What if you don’t hear a siren? This doesn’t mean that one is not being used as emergency vehicles approaching from the rear are seldom heard before they are seen if the driver is paying attention. Pull over and stop even if you don’t hear a siren as this will avoid possible charges if you are in error.

Consider for a moment that when you require one of the emergency services it is very important to you that they arrive as soon as possible. You would appreciate other drivers making room to keep that precious time short, wouldn’t you? Regardless of what the law might say you must be prepared to extend that same courtesy to others by getting out of the way yourself.

Reference Links:

Approach of an Emergency Vehicle – Section 177 Motor Vehicle Act

Cst. Tim Schewe (Ret.) runs DriveSmartBC, a community web site about traffic safety in British Columbia. For 25 years he was an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, including five years on general duty, 20 in traffic and 10 as a collision analyst responsible of conducting technical investigations of collisions. He retired from policing in 2006 but continues to be active in traffic safety through the DriveSmartBC web site, teaching seminars and contributing content to newspapers and web sites.

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Build a solid foundation for your career with ILScorp’s  Fundamentals of Insurance 4 week program for BC and Alberta!

The program starts Monday, October 3^rd, 2011 and ends on Friday, October 28, 2011.

Program Highlights:

- Two, 2-hour live webinars, one on October 17^th and the other on October 28^th, with well-known insurance educator Todd Hochban

- An ongoing threaded discussion which allows you to ask Todd questions. (Answers within 48 hours)

- A one hour optional webinar on November 21^st for Alberta students who wish to write their level 2 exam right away. (Cost is an additional $100 per person)

- Weekly practice exams to get you prepared for the provincial exam!

- Access to course from September 28, 2011 until January 31, 2012 just in case you need a little extra practice!

The cost per person is $550.00 plus tax, but space is limited so sign up now.

To register, email Katherine@ilscorp.com or call: 1-800-404-2211

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The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) has provided a record $329 million to assist producers with land they were unable to seed due to excess moisture in 2011. This record funding was provided for 13,500 claims under the Unseeded Acreage (USA) Benefit, which was increased from $50 to $70 per eligible acre in 2011.

“For the second consecutive year, excess moisture prevented many producers from seeding their land,” Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud said in a statement.

“I am pleased the Crop Insurance Program is providing this record level of support to help producers address these challenges. I’m also very pleased that these claims have been processed by our Crop Insurance employees and the cheques delivered to farmers in such a timely manner,” Bjornerud added.

In the past two years, Crop Insurance has doled out $551 million to producers through the USA Benefit.

The 2011 Excess Moisture Program (EMP), which was announced in August, provides an additional $30 per eligible acre for land that was too wet to seed or was seeded and then flooded out. All Saskatchewan producers are eligible for the EMP. SCIC is administering the program and will continue to process EMP claims as quickly as possible. The deadline to apply is September 30, 2011.

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Pieces of heavy equipment can be attractive targets for thieves. Backhoes, forklifts, bulldozers and other machinery are expensive, but relatively simple to resell. Many manufacturers have adopted a single-key system which allows a number of pieces of equipment to be started with just one key. In 2009, reports say that thieves made off with more than 3,000 heavy machines and Statistics Canada said only about 30 percent were ever recovered.

In the United States, recent data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) found that nearly 6,500 non-mower heavy equipment thefts were reported. The NICB said the recovery rate was 28 percent, “making it a costly crime for insurance companies, equipment owners and rental agencies.”

According to the NICB, for 2010, the 10 most stolen, non-mower heavy equipment items were:

1. Loader
2. Tractor, wheel type
3. Unlisted*
4. Backhoe
5. Backhoe/loader
6. Forklift
7. Excavator
8. Tractor, track type
9. Bulldozer
10. Brush chipper

While automobile thieves preferred Hondas in 2010, heavy equipment manufactured by John Deere was the number one theft target in 2010 followed, in order by Caterpillar, Melroe, Kubota and “Unlisted”*. (* Unlisted in these instances refers to theft reports where no manufacturer or equipment style was indicated.)

Texas was the number one state for heavy equipment thefts in 2010 followed, in order, by California, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Maryland, Ohio and Alabama. The top five cities with the most thefts were Miami, Fla. at number one, followed, in order, by Houston, Texas; Phoenix, Ariz.; Conroe, Texas; and Las Vegas, Nev.

NICB urges equipment owners to incorporate theft prevention strategies into their business practices and recommends the following theft prevention tips:

• Install hidden fuel shut-off systems.
• Remove fuses and circuit breakers when equipment is unattended.
• Render equipment immobile or difficult to move after hours or on weekends by clustering it in a “wagon circle.” Place more easily transported items, such as generators and compressors, in the middle of the circle surrounded by larger pieces of equipment.
• Maintain a photo archive and a specific list of the PIN and component part serial numbers of each piece of heavy equipment in a central location. Stamp or engrave equipment parts with identifying marks, numbers or corporate logos.
• Use hydro locks to fix articulated equipment in a curved position, preventing it from traveling in a straight line.
• Use sleeve locks to fix backhoe pads in an extended position, keeping wheels off the ground.

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This article may be one of many that you read over the next week or so reminding you that our children will soon be on their way to school again. They will remind you that school zones will be in effect, school crossing guards must be obeyed and that caution around stopped school buses is required. Will you as a prudent driver take this to heart and practice it without fail or will all your good intentions disappear the first time you are in a hurry?

As I have written before, my policing experience in school zones has shown me that many traffic rule offenders (more than just speeding) are parents and teachers themselves as they rush to get their children to school or to reach work on time. If these people don’t stop and think about risk versus convenience, why should they expect other drivers to do it? Everyone else could be in just as much of a hurry.

Perhaps we need to have school zone campaigns at different times of the year that focus on issues other than speed. Officer on the bus, illegal stopping and parking, u-turns, child restraint use and failing to obey the direction of a crossing guard come to mind. All of these behaviours present their own dangers to young pedestrians and passengers.

A unique idea to consider implementing this year for your neighbourhood is The Walking School Bus. Young children gather together and are escorted to school safely by parents who share the “bus driver” duties. Walking is healthy for both parent and child while it also reduces vehicle congestion at the school.

Reference Links:

Parents and Caregivers – Walking & Talking – Safe Kids Canada

Pedestrian Tip Sheet for Parents & Caregivers (PDF) – Safe Kids Canada

Active & Safe Routes to School – Green Communities Canada

Tips & Ideas to Walk Your Kids to School – Travel Smart

Other School Related Articles on DriveSmartBC

Cst. Tim Schewe (Ret.) runs DriveSmartBC, a community web site about traffic safety in British Columbia. For 25 years he was an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, including five years on general duty, 20 in traffic and 10 as a collision analyst responsible of conducting technical investigations of collisions. He retired from policing in 2006 but continues to be active in traffic safety through the DriveSmartBC web site, teaching seminars and contributing content to newspapers and web sites.

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The Saskatchewan government says more than 13,000 crop insurance claims have been filed for unseeded acres this year.

That’s nearly 1,000 more than last year, and there were just over 18,000 claims filed for the previous 10 years combined.

Shawn Jaques, executive manager of field operations for Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation, says only 5,104 of those claims have been paid out so far.

Claim processing was delayed earlier this summer due to a labour dispute involving unionized employees, but Jaques says they’re working as hard as possible now.

So far more than $155 million has been paid out, compared to more than $215 million for all of last year.

The total paid out for the previous 10 years was about $145 million dollars.

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Western General, a division of The Economical Insurance has revamped its Premier Poultry and Premier Dairy farm product for distribution coast-to-coast, effective July 1, 2011. Prior to July 1, the Premier brand has only been available in Ontario.

The ongoing advancement of technology and increased consumer demand continue to change the insurance needs of Canadian dairy and poultry operations, said Western General.

The Premier line of insurance products contain new market-leading coverage options that have been created for large scale farm producers who need the flexibility and customized coverage necessary to address the needs of their growing businesses.

“The products are being sold in an integrated manner, including risk management advice and infrared

thermographic imaging services, access to agricultural claims specialists and a partnership with BIICO for electrical and mechanical breakdown coverages and inspection services,” said Pamela Derksen,

Western General’s Division General Manager.

One of the more notable residential enhancements now gives the policyholder increased flexibility by offering a choice of specific packages. Some of the key agricultural enhancements include the Premier

Agribusiness enhancement totaling over $1.8 million in extensions for no additional charge, blanket limits for all agricultural property, five years replacement cost with loss of use coverage for farm machinery and employers liability.

Western General has distributed new marketing materials at several broker information sessions across

Canada, encouraging brokers to begin to qualify clients and discuss how these new products can benefit them. The pricing of the new product will also consider nutrient management practices, water testing and organic farmer certification.

In addition to introducing these new products, Western General is encouraging brokers to reinforce the importance of being adequately insured to accurately reflect the true replacement costs on machinery, buildings and debris removal in the event of a loss.

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Manitoba has announced $194 million in aid for flood-stricken farmers, almost four times what was spent last year under the federal-provincial AgriRecovery Program.

But the terms announced Thursday still fell short of what some farm groups were requesting.

“This would be the largest AgriRecovery program we’ve had since the AgriRecovery framework was put in place,” said deputy agriculture minister Barry Todd.

There are about 1.2 million unseeded hectares in Manitoba this year and that’s expected to cause a hit to the economy of $1 billion or more.

Agriculture Minister Stan Struthers doesn’t yet have the federal government’s commitment for its usual 60 per cent share of the program, but he doesn’t foresee any problems.

“I’m really very confident that the federal government will be there when it counts,” he said.

Only producers are eligible. Those who rent out land for pasture are excluded from compensation.

Key provisions include:

-       $30 an acre for unseeded or flooded out farmland.

• $15 an acre for green feed planted by July 22.
• $50 an acre for forage restoration assistance.
• More help for feedlots, dairy farmers and horticultural operations damaged by the flood.
• No deductible on payments.

Some farm groups had been seeking $50 an acre for unseeded land. But Struthers noted that the waiving of the deductible and the additional $15 available for replanting sweetened the pot above the straight $30 offered last year, when a deductible was charged.

The program is in addition to any money those eligible for crop insurance may receive.

Officials estimate as many as half the province’s farmers may be eligible for flood assistance this year.

Struthers rushed the announcement a bit since next week the pre-election publicity blackout kicks in before the scheduled Oct. 4 general election. He said he didn’t want farmers to be left wondering what they might receive until after the vote.

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The Board of Directors at the International Association of Special Investigations Units (IASIU) is donating $10,000 to a memorial fund for Rhett Jeansonne and Kim Sledge, two insurance fraud investigators who were killed in the line of duty on June 7.  (See the ILSTV story here.)

“They were members of IASIU and dedicated professionals. IASIU appreciates the support of the Louisiana insurance department over the years…The senseless murder of our fellow IASIU members is unimaginable,” IASIU president Dave Rioux, of Erie Insurance, wrote to Louisiana commissioner Jim Donelon on behalf of the IASIU members.

Donations to the fund are being used to purchase and install a permanent memorial to the two investigators on the grounds of the state’s Department of Insurance building. Donelon said that additional money collected will be given to the estates of Jeansonne and Sledge.

IASIU has more than 4,000 members representing 600 insurance and self-insured companies around the world.

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In last month’s ILScorp Insider, we invited you to tell us what topic you would like to see for the next series of ILScorp webinars.

Thanks very much for sending in all of your ideas! There were four clear front-runners so now it’s your chance to narrow it down even further.

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The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) and the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU) reached a tentative agreement on Friday, effectively ending the strike.

The current collective agreement expired September 30, 2009. The new three-year agreement will be retroactive to October 1, 2009, and expire on September 30, 2012. This deal is subject to SCIC and SGEU approval processes.

The terms of the proposed deal include a 5.5 per cent general wage increase over three years and:

• an additional 0.25 per cent general wage increase in the third year in consideration of negotiated efficiencies;
• an employer contribution of 0.2 per cent toward the employee-enhanced Dental Plan;
• an overnight allowance of $25 per night for employees who travel away from home for more than three consecutive days, commencing after the third day;
• an increase in the designated holiday pay for casual, temporary employees and adjusters from 4.5 to 5.4 per cent;
• an increase in the employee and employer contributions to the Public Employees’ Pension Plan from a total of 7.0 to 7.25 per cent of gross regular salary for employees;
• joint agreement to reassert SCIC and SGEU commitment to the Joint Classification plan; and
• agreement to reconsider the retroactive application of seniority for employees who previously were not given seniority after being away on maternity leave.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall thanked both the SCIC and SGEU for ending the strike.

“This is very good news,” Wall said. “I know that Crop Insurance employees would much rather be at work processing claims and helping farmers at this difficult time. This agreement means they will soon be back at work providing those vital services for Saskatchewan producers.”

Now that legislation to end the strike will no longer be necessary, Wall has written to Speaker Don Toth asking him to cancel the recall of the Legislative Assembly which had been scheduled for Monday.

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At 2:00 pm on June 21, employees of the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) walked off the job.

About 470 members of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU) are striking to get better pay.

“We haven’t kept up with the rate of inflation in 25 years,” said Alan Evans, Chair of the Negotiating Committee. “Now we are being offered 1.5, 2 and 2 percent, for a total of 5.5 percent over three years. This is unacceptable. We provide prompt and efficient delivery of insurance requirements for farmers and are worthy of a reasonable pay increase.

SCIC also says the compensation for using personal property for business use also needs to be addressed.

“The expenses we receive for using our own vehicles to conduct the business of the corporation do not cover the true costs,” he said. “For example, we use our vehicles to complete farm visits and receive less than what it costs us to operate them.”

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says the decision to strike now, during a time when parts of the province are experiencing severe flooding, is “nothing short of appalling.”

In a letter to the union posted on the government’s website on Wednesday, Wall said “In recent days, I have witnessed the extraordinary efforts of hundreds of Saskatchewan people to help those affected by the flooding. Their energy and compassion for those in need is truly inspiring. I have often said that in the worst situations, we see the best of Saskatchewan people. This is one of those times.”

“That’s why your decision to launch strike action now is so deplorable,” he continued. “Many farmers will seed little or no crop this year as a result of the massive flooding. They are relying on the Crop Insurance coverage they purchased to see them through this difficult time.”

Wall is calling on the union to end the strike. He said if he does not receive assurance that the strike will end within 24 hours, “action will be taken to protect the interests of the province and flood victims.”

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Farming has undergone dramatic shifts in the last century, including the move from small, suburban farms to larger, more rural operations that rely heavily on technology.

However, it seems that farm-use vehicles have also changed. In a recent study, analysis firm Quality Planning discovered a new trend: the apparent use of passenger vehicles for farming. Passenger vehicles insured as farm vehicles were found in cities including Brooklyn, New York and Houston, Texas.

Quality Planning says it’s not likely that there’s a sudden surge of inner-city farmers, but the use of farm plates is due to the rating factors that insurance companies use to determine policy premiums. Many auto insurers offer substantial farm-use discounts of up to 20 percent to people using their vehicles exclusively on a farm, where the chances of a collision, theft, or other mishap befalling the vehicle are much reduced when compared with urban use.

But are all vehicles declared as farm use really used for farming? Quality Planning found that in some cases, the type of vehicle employed in pursuit of these agricultural endeavors would seem rather unsuitable for farming, with the BMW Z4, Cadillac XLR, Jaguar XJ6, Mercedes SL550, and Porsche Carrera among the most surprising farm-use vehicles.

The problem facing insurance companies is that, unlike the information about at-fault accidents and violations provided by state driver-licensing agencies, there is no perfect method for determining if someone truly lives on a farm. Quality Planning, a subsidiary of Verisk Analytics that verifies policyholder data for auto insurance companies, selected approximately 80,000 vehicles for which a farm-use discount was claimed in policy year 2010 and examined the garaging address of each. Geocoding techniques helped determine whether the immediate area was urban or rural and if anyone was actively engaged in farming in that area.

Although some policyholders do live in areas that are a combination of urban, suburban, and rural, there are people who live in strictly urban areas where there is little evidence of farming activity — such as Brooklyn, for example. Of the sample, 6,382 vehicles (or roughly 8 percent) are garaged in ZIP codes where, according to the 2000 US census survey, less than 1 percent of the population engaged in agriculture. Quality Planning then examined the average annual premium for vehicles for which the farm-use discount was claimed and found that the average annual premium in urban areas was $608, compared with $446 for farm-use vehicles in nonurban areas.

Quality Planning said since farm use is seldom verified, it is an easy tool that cheats can use to reduce the cost of auto insurance. A typical farm-use discount is often about 20 percent. So if an urban, non-discounted vehicle were properly rated at $760 per year, a $152 discount could be achieved simply by designating it as farm use. The premium difference for the most expensive sports cars (like the Mercedes SL550, which costs upwards of $100,000) is much higher. The breakdown of farm-use vehicles by body type is shown below.

Farm-Use Vehicles by Body Type

“Misapplication of the farm-use discount is one of a number of frauds perpetrated on insurance companies by dishonest policyholders and their agents,” said Robert U’Ren, senior vice president of Quality Planning. “We estimate that premium leakage from the farm-use discount alone totals about $150 million annually. Rating errors such as these introduce significant inequalities into the insurance equation and, unfortunately, raise rates for all drivers. Honest people end up subsidizing the insurance premiums of dishonest people, and careful drivers subsidize high-risk drivers. And in a very real sense, our farmers are subsidizing unscrupulous city dwellers.”

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Eighty-six percent of workers at the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) voted in favour of a strike action to back their contract demands with the province.

SCIC workers are represented by the Saskatchewan Government and General Employee’s Union (SGEU.) From May 11 to 20, members voted on a strike action at 21 locations across the province, and on May 27 it was announced that 86 percent of the workers support strike action.

“This clearly shows the dissatisfaction of our members with the government’s wage mandate of 5.5 per cent over three years,” said Alan Evans, co-chair of the Negotiating Committee, in a statement.

“Several of our bargaining units are communicating the fact that the government’s wage madate is not sufficeint,” saidBob Bymoen, President of SGEU. “When the majority of our members vote in favour of strike action, it’s their way of reiterating the message that they’re worth more.”

“SCIC is a Crown Corporation; the majority of its workers are farmers and everyday rural people who are directly related to the agricultural industry and most of the wages they earn go back into the famrs and communities they serve. They are worth just as much as Information Services Corporation (ISC) employees and there is no reason why they shouldn’t be receiving a settlement of 7.75 percent over three years,” said Bymoen.

SGEU represents approximately 520 SCIC employees working in the Agristabliity and Porduction Insurance programs who have been out of a contract since September 2009.

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For a second year in a row, an unusually wet seeding period in Saskatchewan has led the province’s auto insurer to waive the seeding eligibility requirement for farm plates again in 2011. Under normal circumstances, an individual or farm corporation wishing to have an “F” (farm) plate must have seeded a minimum amount of crop each year.

“With spring seeding delayed across the province due to flooding, we recognize it may be a challenge for farmers to seed enough land to meet the requirement,” said Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) Tim McMillan, in a statement. “To support Saskatchewan farmers, SGI is removing the minimum seeded crop requirements for farm plates again this year.”

A farmer is eligible for the exemption providing 1) he or she had the vehicle licensed with farm plates in 2010 and 2) he or she intends to continue farming in 2012 and will seed enough crop to qualify for farm plates in 2012.

SGI said the exemption is effective immediately and expires on June 1, 2012.

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Ontarians know that severe weather and other natural disasters can strike at any time, often without warning.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) are hoping to help the province’s residents do all they can do to minimize damage and harm through the second annual Emergency Preparedness Challenge.

The provincial initiative, aimed at increasing Ontarians’ awareness and understanding of emergency preparedness, kicks off with the official launch of Emergency Preparedness Week on April 29 at Yonge-Dundas Square.

“Our industry has seen first-hand the devastating impact that disasters can have on individuals, families and communities,” said Ralph Palumbo, Vice-President, Ontario, IBC. “Insurers will be there to help rebuild and put lives back together when disasters strike, but a little preparation can go a long way to minimize the impact of an emergency.”

The Emergency Preparedness Challenge runs from April 29 to May 31 at www.ontario.ca/beprepared and consists of five short age-appropriate questions about emergency preparedness. By taking the Challenge, Ontarians will become better aware of simple things they can do to protect themselves, their families and their homes from disaster.

“With many recent examples of disasters around the world – earthquakes, tornadoes, flooding and more – the time to get prepared is now,” added Palumbo.

You might also be interested in: Canada’s public infrastructure is vulnerable to earthquake damage

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Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud announced changes to the 2011 Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Program, which includes record provincial funding, record coverage levels, an enhanced Unseeded Acreage Benefit and other program improvements.

“Crop Insurance is the first line of defence against risk for Saskatchewan farmers,” said Ritz in a statement. “Our government is pleased to work with the Province of Saskatchewan to improve this stable, bankable and predictable program for producers.”

Coverage levels are increasing by $42 per acre to $173 per acre, on average, up from $131 per acre in 2010. This is the highest average Crop Insurance coverage ever offered. The 2011 Provincial Crop Insurance budget is a record high $161 million.

In 2011, the Unseeded Acreage Benefit will increase from $50 to $70 per eligible acre. The seeding intensity calculation has also been revised to help producers facing excess moisture challenges.

For young producers beginning a new contract, it will now be easier to transfer yields and premium discounts earned by family members of the same farming operation. This will allow many young producers to have immediate access to improved coverage and reduced premiums based on their family farming history, as opposed to the previous method of using area averages.

The 2011 Crop Insurance Program also includes: increased Establishment Benefit values for large green lentils, canola and identity-preserved canola; an enhanced forage insurance program; and an expanded number of crops eligible for the Crop Averaging Program.

“We are continually working to improve the Crop Insurance Program for producers,” Bjornerud said. “The increased coverage and new program enhancements will help producers better protect their crops against risks, such as excess moisture.”

The deadline for customers to apply for, make changes to or cancel their Crop Insurance contract is March 31, 2011.

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The Ontario Cattlemen’s Association and Ontario Pork is advocating for government support of a risk management program (RMP) to protect against market fluctuations and to share in and limit risk.

The two industries are seeking to enlist both the Provincial and Federal governments to partner with them in establishing insurance programs similar to the successful pilot program implemented and recently extended by the Ontario Government for the Grains and Oilseeds industry.

“Establishing a Risk Insurance Program for our farmers this year is our number one priority,” said Curtis Royal, President, Ontario Cattlemen’s Association and owner of Royal Farms in Simcoe County. “Over 80,000 Ontarians make their living on farms and more than 700,000 Ontarians work in the agri-food industry. We form an integral part of Ontario’s economic success, especially rural Ontario.”

The Ontario Cattlemen’s Association represents 19,000 beef farmers in Ontario and Ontario Pork is the marketing board that represents Ontario’s 2,000 pork producers.

In the past few years, Ontario’s beef and pork industries have experienced a severe downturn. Ontario’s beef cow herd has declined 18.4% since the beginning of 2003 while sow herd has declined over 20% since 2007. This downturn is the result of several factors including BSE, H1N1, and a high Canadian dollar, bringing increased competition from imports. With multiple economic threats occurring over an extended period of time, the current AgriStability program alone is not enough to sustain these industries.

“We have conducted major consultations with our members and the broader farming community and there is overwhelming support for a risk management program,” says Wilma Jeffray, Chair of Ontario Pork and a farmer of hogs, cattle, grains and oilseeds in Bruce County. “This program would offset the difference between the current market price and the average long-term cost of production, eliminating the need for ad hoc government support for both the beef and pork industries in the future.”

Under the proposed insurance program, participating Ontario farmers in the beef and pork industries would pay premiums to the government representing 30% of the long-term cost of the insurance program. The farmers are asking governments to contribute according to the traditional 60/40 Federal/Provincial split and for the province to act immediately to kick start and fund their share of the program.

“The program is affordable, and it would capitalize on a growing consumer demand for locally grown, safe, environmentally responsible food,” says Royal. “By partnering with Ontario’s local farmers, the Provincial and Federal governments will help sustain local food production and strengthen the rural economy.”

Ontario Cattlemen’s Association and Ontario Pork are continuing to work with the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Coalition (OASC). The two industries are actively lobbying the Federal government as well.

You might also be interested in: Ontario beef and pork farmers partner to support insurance program

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