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The Weather-Based Program Network |
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Since 2001, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance has provided weather-based insurance programs as alternatives to or top-ups for existing multi-peril coverage. The Forage Rainfall Insurance Program, Annual Crop Weather Based Insurance Program and Corn Heat Unit Pilot Program have been introduced to provide producers with options to tailor their coverage to their operation and expand upon previously limited coverage options for non-traditional crops.
While multi-peril programs provide coverage for numerous causes of loss, program administration requires producers submit seeding, management practice and production information throughout the year and make themselves available for any required inspections. Weather-based programs reduce the amount of paperwork required by producers and eliminate the need for on-farm inspections while providing coverage against select perils; however, because of the single peril and non-farm specific loss adjustment, it is important that program participants understand how the program payments are determined
For all Crop Insurance’s weather-based programs, the weather variables measured at the weather station are the sole basis for claim payments. These programs are area-based, not individual production programs; claims are not tied to yields or the amount of rainfall or temperature on any specific parcel of land.
Even though rainfall and frost can vary greatly over relatively short distances, the weather station is the only point from which we have the weather data on which to base claim payments; therefore; these programs are driven from a network of 130 weather stations located throughout Saskatchewan with a few just over the borders to Alberta and Manitoba. Stations are distributed so that almost all agricultural land in the province is within 40 kilometres of an eligible weather station.
The objective of our weather data collection and handling program is to get the most accurate assessment of precipitation and temperature as possible at all 130 weather stations used in Crop Insurance programs. These weather stations are owned and operated either by Environment Canada or by Weather Innovations Incorporated (WIN). Weather Innovations is also contracted to quality-control all data, including Environment Canada data, and provide final values to Crop Insurance.
The intent of contracting third party suppliers is ensure that Saskatchewan Crop Insurance has no direct influence over the collection or handling of weather data. Final values received from our third-party suppliers have never been adjusted by Crop Insurance and therefore do not favour either the corporation or its customers.
It is also important to note that Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation staff, Provincial Appeal Panel nor the Board of Directors have any legal authority to make payments under the weather-based programs that are not solely determined from the weather data collected.
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Station Locations |
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Environment Canada station sites are selected and operated by Environment Canada following their standards. WIN is responsible for site selection of their stations within a target area (usually a township) as provided by Crop Insurance. These target areas were selected by the corporation to provide even geographic distribution of weather stations or to replace Environment Canada sites. Crop Insurance has no direct influence over the exact location of the weather stations.
WIN follows Environment Canada’s principles for locating stations. These guidelines state that sites should be as representative as possible of the surrounding areas, and should not be influenced by surrounding natural or man-made features, including minimum distances to obstructions such as buildings and trees.
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Precipitation and Temperature Measurement |
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Precipitation and temperature values during the growing season are the basis for the weather-based programs offered by Crop Insurance. Data processing and quality control measures are currently performed by WIN.
WIN weather stations are specifically designed to meet the data needs of Crop Insurance’s programs by providing a continuous dataset; that is, a dataset with essentially no missing data. To achieve this, all WIN stations are equipped with dual sensors and dual dataloggers which provides a "backup" should the primary sensors or dataloggers fail. Some Environment Canada stations also have more than one precipitation gauge which helps prevent missing data and provides a check for instrument malfunctions.
Weather stations vary in the type of instrument used to measure precipitation. All WIN and some Environment Canada stations use a "tipping bucket rain gauge" which measures liquid precipitation in 0.2 millimetre increments. All WIN precipitation gauges are calibrated to Environment Canada standards prior to each season.
Any solid precipitation (snow, hail, etc) must melt in the tipping bucket gauge before it is registered. If snow is light or wet, and the temperature is near or above freezing (usually the case in April), the snow will melt on contact and be measured. If the snow is heavy and temperatures are below freezing, some snow will accumulate in the gauge and be measured when melting occurs. Some Environment Canada stations use "weighing gauges" which measure any type of precipitation—liquid or solid—by measuring the weight of the water in the precipitation.
Environment Canada’s stations have temperature sensors located at 1.25 to 1.5 metres above ground. All WIN temperature sensors are at 1.25 metres so that temperature measurements are directly comparable to historical Environment Canada data used to develop normal first fall frost dates and premium rates. Historical temperature data does not exist for measurement heights other than this standard height. This standard height has been adopted by meteorologists so that temperature measurements are representative of a relatively large surrounding area, and are not as greatly influenced by small changes in topography or by surface characteristics.
Temperature sensors have an operating range of -40°C to +60°C and are capable of recording temperatures within 0.1°C. All temperature sensors (WIN and Environment Canada) have an accuracy of ± 0.6°C or better. Station temperature is recorded at 15 minute intervals. WIN temperature sensors are checked for accuracy prior to and during the growing season. In addition, WIN temperature sensor output from the twin instruments are compared monthly during the growing season to insure no sensors are malfunctioning.
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Data Quality Control |
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Raw data from both Environment Canada and WIN stations undergo a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) process before being submitted to Crop Insurance. This process is performed by WIN and has been reviewed and approved by an accredited meteorologist.
WIN’s primary quality assurance measure for temperature and precipitation is the use of dual temperature sensors, precipitation gauges and dataloggers at each site. This nearly eliminates missing values and therefore the need to estimate values to complete the dataset.
The quality assurance process for precipitation data includes the following:
- Data from the dual gauges is compared; any anomalies are flagged for further investigation.
- Daily precipitation map of the province are produced for visual inspection of any anomalies.
- A daily map series is compared to look for any unusual patterns over time.
- Values are compared with other third-party daily precipitation datasets, like Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food’s crop reporter data as required to review rainfall distribution.
- Where missing data occurs, GIS analysis and third-party data are used to estimate the missing values.
For temperature, the quality assurance process includes:
- Data from the dual temperature sensors is compared; any anomalies are flagged for further investigation.
- Maps for daily minimum and maximum temperatures are used to identify any anomalies for further investigation.
- Where missing data occurs, a GIS analysis of the nearest monitoring points is used to estimate the missing values.
The verification of raw weather data by WIN through the QA/QC process has several advantages for Crop Insurance and its customers.
- Data is verified by an independent, non-biased third party using procedures approved by an accredited meteorologist.
- Any missing raw data (due to equipment malfunction, for example) can be supplemented using the best available data sources. For example, GIS interpolation and third-party data may be used as current programs require a complete dataset with no missing values.
- Any vandalism or tampering with weather stations (e.g., covering or pouring water into rain gauges) should be detected by the QA/QC process and values can be corrected.
Through the weather-based programs, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance continues to develop innovative insurance products that are easy to administer. With weather data as the sole means of calculating claims, Crop Insurance has taken every step to ensure that the program is sound and fair to all participants.
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