Assistance is coming to producers faced with extraordinary costs as a result of being quarantined due to bovine tuberculosis.
Help is coming through the AgriRecovery program, which is designed to provide help during a disaster like a disease outbreak when cattle cannot be sold.
Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAuley said today in a news release that help is also available through the advance payments program. Affected producers can receive up to $400,000, with the first $100,000 being interest free.
About 22,000 head are within the quarantine in southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan.
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The 2016 bovine tuberculosis assistance initiative will provide assistance to producers to cover the extraordinary costs for extra feeding and water infrastructure, feed, animals, transportation, cleaning and disinfection as well as interest costs on loans since cattle have not been marketed.
Details will be provided as the federal and provincial governments work with affected producers.
Efforts are continuing to set up a terminal feedlot to accept weaned calves associated with the quarantine. These would never leave the feedlot, but could be fed to market weight and then shipped to slaughter.
Details are still being worked out, but the lot must be biosecure and must be capable of taking more cattle if the quarantine expands, Dr. Harpeet Kochhar, chief veterinary officer with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said during a Senate hearing yesterday.
Further information and application forms for assistance are available at http://www.feederassoc.com/?content/advance-payment-program.html.
Contact barbara.duckworth@producer.com
