WINNIPEG – It was a long wait but 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 Dec. 17, explaining the program would 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.
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“These funds will give our producers the cash flow they need to sustain their breeding animals through this winter,” said Ritz, who made the announcement in Winnipeg with James Bezan, MP for Manitoba Interlake, Stan Struthers, Manitoba’s agriculture minister, Tom Nevakshonoff, MLA for the Interlake, and Trevor Atchison, a cattle producer from Pipestone, Man.
“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.
MBP had lobbied the provincial and federal governments for financial help since July because its members were dealing with soaked pastures and hayland.
A record amount of rain fell on parts of Manitoba from April to October.
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.”
Following the announcement, Ritz was asked why it took more than four months to put together the feed assistance program.
“The late harvest delayed our assessments but once completed, it was clear that there was significant hurt here in Manitoba,” he said. “You’ll see that this is quite comprehensive.”
Atchison admitted the funding has come too late for a number of livestock producers who were forced to sell off part of their herds due to a lack of feed.
The federal government will cover $11 million of the cost of the program, with the province picking up the remaining seven million.
Producers of beef cattle, bison, elk, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas and horses kept for meat or pregnant mare’s urine are eligible for funding from the program.
