Saskatchewan has signed an agreement with Ottawa to try to recover funds it spent to help producers affected by bovine tuberculosis quarantines.

The AgriRecovery initiative was signed earlier this month after the province helped producers with the costs of keeping animals that should have gone to market.

Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart had said in January that the government would compensate producers through the existing budget, because the total wasn’t expected to be more than $100,000. There are five affected producers on four premises.

An order-in-council from March 2 shows cabinet approved the AgriRecovery agreement to try to get a federal contribution. Under the terms of the agreement, Ottawa would pay 60 percent of the costs, or about $60,000, and Saskatchewan would pay 40 percent.

Final costs aren’t yet known.

However, costs eligible for payment include up to 90 percent of cleaning and disinfection and daily payments for feed, yardage and interest carrying costs.

Feed and yardage are reimbursed at 90 percent of $3.49 per day per cull animal and bred heifer and $2.28 per calf. Interest is also paid at 90 percent of 15 cents per cull animal and bred heifer and 14 cents per calf.

Contact karen.briere@producer.com