Farmers washed out by flooding in the Red River Valley this spring are still waiting to hear what compensation they’ll get from the federal and provincial governments.
“I’ve started calling them flood hostages,” said Marcel Hacault, chair of the Manitoba Farm Flood Relief Fund.
Since governments signed a $270 million memorandum of understanding four months ago, they’ve gradually announced different parts of the compensation package for flood victims.
But they’re still negotiating a “much-hinted” package for farms and businesses, said Hacault.
The farm flood relief fund has collected more than $350,000 from people across Canada. Hacault said trustees are now determining how to distribute the money, and whether they can get it matched by another agency.
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The businesses and farm groups that started the fund set a goal of $500,000 when they created it. But Hacault said they’re pleased with the smaller total.
“It’s just a drop in the bucket though, compared to the need out there,” said Hacault, who is also a vice-president of Keystone Agricultural Producers, Manitoba’s general farm lobby group.
KAP is pressuring the governments to announce compensation because it will help farmers a lot more than the flood relief fund, he said.
The priority for governments and relief agencies like the Red Cross has been families who lost their homes or who still can’t return home because of damages, Hacault said.
But most farmers affected by the flood don’t fall into that top-priority group.
They are weathering production losses on their own. Hog producers forced to sell their herds when flood waters approached are having a tough time figuring out how to get back in business.
One farmer is worried he will lose needed winter income from a machine repair shop on his farm.
The provincial government announced last week it will add $34 million to a $24 million flood-proofing program to help victims raise, move or permanently dike buildings.
In total, the two governments expect to spent $70 million over the next five years making sure buildings and towns are protected to two feet above 1997 flood levels.
A sticking point for the yet-to-be-announced farm compensation is the definition of a full-time farmer, Hacault said.
Many farm families have off-farm income, even though one spouse makes a living from farming. KAP has been working with governments to try to make sure the program casts a wide enough net.
“It’s like a maze: it’s very complicated,” said Hacault.
