The federal and Quebec governments have announced $2.15 million in aid for Quebec livestock farmers affected by last summer’s drought.
Rather than direct support for income loss, the program provides subsidies either to move feed to livestock or livestock to feed.
A limited number of Quebec areas, concentrated in western Quebec, were affected last summer by the worst drought in decades. With lack of pasture hay, many farmers began feeding bales stored for this winter in the summer.
Some herds were culled.
A much more costly and complicated aid deal for Ontario will be announced soon for the drought-affected areas from eastern Ontario through the productive southwestern region and into Bruce-Grey counties that are Canada’s most concentrated livestock-producing areas outside Alberta’s Lethbridge region.
It will be more comprehensive and likely will include some direct farm income support payments under the AgriRecovery program because many sectors outside livestock, including tender fruit, were affected by the drought that saw rain stop in June and not pick up again until autumn.
Last week’s Canada-Quebec joint farm aid announcement was one of the first between Conservative Ottawa and Parti Québécois-governed Quebec City since the sovereignist PQ took power this autumn as a minority government.
The Quebec program includes:
• up to 14 cents per tonne per kilometre to assist with the transportation of forage and feed to animals
- • up to 7.5 cents per km to move animals to available feed
It was the first AgriRecovery program announcement since a new five-year Growing Forward plan to take effect April 1 was announced in September.
However, the rules will not change for AgriRecovery when the new program kicks in.
It remains a judgment call by governments about the extent of damage and the cost, including whether other programs such as crop insurance and AgriStability would pick it up.
Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said last week the payment to Quebec livestock producers recognizes the impact of the drought.
“Quebec livestock producers have worked hard to produce quality forage to sustain their herds until they can be returned to pastures next spring,” he said in a statement. “However, Mother Nature has not co-operated. Our government is delivering the necessary support to help livestock producers keep their breeding herds fed over the winter months.”
