The federal government has announced an investment of $786,921 for Farm Management Canada to develop a new online agricultural risk management tool called AgriShield.

This online tool will help farmers have real-time assessments of the potential negative impact of risks to their businesses and provide mitigation solutions. For instance, if an overland flood situation is imminent, the tool can help farmers to assess the degree of risk they face and potential mitigation measures that they can adopt, such as tile draining or insurance coverage.

“Less than 1/3 of Canada’s farmers have a risk management plan," said Heather Watson, Executive Director of Farm Management Canada. "Our ultimate goal is to increase the awareness and adoption of risk management practices and planning as part of the farm management process and cultivate a more comprehensive understanding and approach to assessing and managing risk within the agricultural sector.”

This investment is being made through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriRisk Initiatives.