Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister has announced aid for livestock producers facing feed shortages due to this year’s heavy rains.
Bob Bjornerud announced the Saskatchewan Feed and Forage Program at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities 2010 midterm convention.
The program is designed to help pay freight costs for producers forced to bring in feed for their livestock, or to help pay to have their animals shipped for feeding at other locations.
The program also includes $30 per acre payments to assist producers who have to reseed damaged hay forage and pasture land.
“Provincially there was about 180 percent of the normal feed that we would have in the year. Of course, it’s not all in the right spots and that’s partly why we’re doing what we’re doing today; to help bring some of that feed in to where producers are short,” said Bjornerud, addressing reporters after the announcement.
Bjornerud said the program will also help producers who experience flooding next spring.
“The program extends into August of 2011 so with flooding next spring again, if it continues to be that wet in some of those areas, it will cover that part of the year too,” he said.
