Wildlife Damage Compensation Program

Overview of the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program program:

This program compensates New Brunswick agricultural producers who experience livestock predation resulting in death or injury to eligible livestock or damage to eligible agricultural products caused by wildlife. The New Brunswick Agricultural Insurance Commission (NBAIC) administers this program, but affected producers do not have to be an Agricultural Insurance client to receive compensation through the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program. Producers can receive up to 80% compensation without any cost or premium to participate. For producers insured with the NBAIC, the production that was lost due to wildlife damage is included as production in their individual yield (PTC) calculation, which prevents their insurance coverage from declining due to wildlife damage.

Benefits of the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program program:

• Up to $50 000 per year is available per producer.

Eligibility criteria of the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program program:

• New Brunswick agricultural producers must notify this Department within 72 hours of discovering the loss or damage. The cause or probable cause of loss or death must be confirmed by the Department. Compensation is not retroactive; it is assessed from the date the damage or loss is reported. Damaged crops must not be harvested prior to inspection by Department staff
• Producers must take all reasonable efforts to control and limit wildlife damage from occurring. This may include, but is not limited to, the use of scare devices, fencing, netting or other best management practices to control or prevent wildlife damage. Wildlife damage due to poor management or neglect is not eligible for compensation.
• For crop compensation the producer must incur a loss of at least $500. Damaged areas should be at least 1/4 (0.25) acres or larger in size
• For livestock compensation the producer may claim for the loss or injury to one or more animals.
• The maximum compensation per producer shall not exceed $50,000 per year.