B.C.’s farmers and ranchers are welcoming an injection of government funding to help them cope with the wildfires and droughts of 2023.
Those eligible can receive a portion of up $71 million being made available from the provincial and federal government through the 2023 Canada-British Columbia Wildfire and Drought AgriRecovery Initiative.
B.C. Cattlemen’s Association Brian Thomas said the money announced Friday (Oct. 20) will make a real difference to ranchers facing tight feed supplies after a summer filled with extensive wildfires and widespread drought conditions.
“This is welcomed news after the challenging season ranchers have faced,” Thomas said.
The provincial government said the available funding of up $71 million is not an estimate of the damages, which wildfires and drought, have caused in 2023. It instead aims to help farmers and ranchers with emergency expenses.
These include the purchase of livestock feed due to pasture unavailability; transportation costs related to moving livestock to feed and water; animal health and safety expenses; repair or replacement of wildfire-damaged irrigation infrastructure not covered by insurance; and labour costs to repair fencing damaged by wildfire.
The fund will cover up to $70 of every $100 in extraordinary expenses.
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The funding is part of a larger disaster response totaling $365 million in federal-provincial funding under the AgriRecovery Framework to help farmers and ranchers in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
It is available through the large Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year program of $3.5 billion. Most of the money — $2.5 billion — comes through cost-shared programs between the federal government and provinces and territories, with Ottawa picking up 60 per cent of the tab. The remaining $1 billion comes directly from the federal government.
Agriculture minister Pam Alexis said the $71 million represents only one way the province has been helping ranchers and farmers.
Others include the Access to Feed Program, the Food Security Emergency Planning and Preparedness Fund worth $20 million, the Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program worth $20 million and a suite of other programs.
According to a government release, farmers and ranchers have received $7.2 million through the federal-provincial AgriStability program. It offers support when producers experience large declines in income.
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