Federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau says improvements are coming to farm support programs.

After meeting with her provincial counterparts, Bibeau says farmers can use private insurance programs without being penalized through the agristability program.

Saskatchewan agriculture minister David Marit welcomes the improvement.

He says “we’re happy to hear that revenue from private insurance won’t go against a producers agristability claim.”

Bibeau says there will also be further study of farm support programs prior to the next agriculture minister’s meeting next summer.

She says a pilot project will be done in Manitoba and the Maritimes to see if using tax returns can reduce paperwork to receive farm support payments.