With a changing climate and gaps in current agriculture programming, a provincial task force has made 25 recommendations to improve producers' risk management tools.

Appointed by the province in January 2015, the task force spent the past year reviewing research and meeting with producers, scientists, and insurance providers.

In its report, the task force recommended the province consider reforming AgriInvest to act as an incentive for best management practices among producers, examine irrigation practices in Alberta to see if they can be adopted in Manitoba, and research the use of weather derivatives as a business risk management tool.

Keystone Agriculture Producers president Dan Mazier says he was very impressed to see how the task force listened to consultations and feedback. While these recommendations are good, it's important to see what the goverment does with them.

"They're just recommendations. I appreciate the minister releasing these recommendations before the big election and all that stuff, at least they're out there," he says. "The key will be whether the province does act on these, or whatever the minister is going to do in the coming days and years to deal with these recommendations."

In a statement, Manitoba Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn says the task force has done tremendous work to show how governments and producers can work together to be better prepared for the effects of climate change.