The Saskatchewan government has announced a drought aid program that
amounts to $20 million in new money for livestock breeders.
The money will be distributed through a “herd retention program” and
will be based on defined drought areas as identified by Environment
Canada.
“We feel we are making the best use of the limited resources we have
available to us by strategically targeting those most needed areas for
assistance,” agriculture minister Clay Serby said.
Livestock producers in rural municipalities that are designated as
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federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
“severe” drought areas will get $25 per breeding stock animal unit.
Those in “high” drought areas will get $17 per unit and those in
“moderate” RMs will get $12.
Designations will be based on rainfall statistics calculated up to July
31. Serby said he realizes the payments fall far short of Alberta’s
recently announced $324 million drought assistance package, but said
it’s all the province can afford and there is no public appetite to
take the province into debt.
“This is not because we value our producers less in Saskatchewan, it is
a factor of the province’s fiscal capacity.”
Changes to crop insurance and a new breeding stock loan program were
also announced as part of the aid package.
Producers will be able to access 50 percent of their projected crop
insurance claim up front through a $150 million advance payment
program. As well, farmers whose crops have been appraised as
uneconomical will be allowed to graze or bale them.
The $50 million livestock drought loan program will offer farmers $50
per breeding stock animal unit in drought areas. It will be
interest-free for the first year of the loan.
During the announcement, Serby fired a few shots at federal agriculture
minister Lyle Vanclief, saying the $600 million that Vanclief promised
in June still hasn’t arrived. And he chastised the federal government
for not topping up crop insurance as requested this spring.
