The federal and Manitoba governments will provide $18 million to assist livestock producers facing feed shortages in the province.
Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz announced the funding in Winnipeg Friday, explaining the program will help producers buy feed, transport feed or transport livestock to feed.
The program will support producers in two ways:
- Feed assistance of $30 per ton based on an identifiable feed shortage.
- Feed transportation assistance of up to 22 cents per ton per loaded mile or 10 cents per head per loaded mile for producers who transport livestock to feed.
“These funds will give our producers the cash flow they need to sustain their breeding animals through this winter,” said Ritz.
“For our producers who have been struggling on the landscape, it’s been a long wait but we are thankful,” said Atchison, a Manitoba Beef Producers district director, who attended the announcement.
The Manitoba Beef Producers have lobbied the provincial and federal governments for financial help since July because its members were dealing with soaked pastures and hay land, which reduced feed quantity and quality across the province.
The financial assistance will be available for producers across the province, not just specific regions, Struthers said.
“We are committed to doing this on an individual, farm by farm basis,” said Struthers. “We didn’t think it would make sense to do it on a municipal basis, where some farmers in need would be left out…. The money will flow to those who have need.”
The federal government will cover $11 million of the program, with the province picking up the remaining $7 million. Producers of beef cattle, bison, elk, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas and horses kept for meat or pregnant mare urine, are eligible for funding.
