By Josh Hall (Twitter: @vancan19; rdnewsNOW)

Apply Oct. 30 for Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program

Oct 27, 2023 | 1:30 PM

Applications open Oct. 30 for the 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock (CADL) Assistance program.

The program is providing livestock producers up to $165 million to maintain breeding herds and comes after upwards of 20 Alberta municipalities declared drought-related agricultural disasters this summer.

Funding for the joint AgriRecovery initiative is provided through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).

“It has been a tough growing season with challenges due to dry conditions causing many of our farmers and ranchers to face extraordinary costs,” said RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. “I’m relieved that the federal government is partnering with Alberta on this drought relief response to support producers and help protect their livelihoods while they continue to put food on tables.”

According to the province, livestock producers who altered their usual grazing practices due to drought conditions for more than 21 days this season can apply for financial support to cover losses incurred to manage and maintain female breeding animals such as cattle, bison, horses, elk, sheep, goats, alpacas, yak, musk ox, deer, water buffalo and llamas. A minimum of 15 animals per type of livestock are required to qualify.

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Benefits will be based on a feed-need calculation for feed costs incurred from lost grazing days for eligible breeding animals on hand as of Dec. 31, 2023. Eligible producers could access up to $150 per head to help maintain the breeding herd in drought regions.

“I’ve had the opportunity to meet with producers in Alberta and they’ve shared just how challenging this season has been for their operations,” said Lawrence MacAulay, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “We continue to stand with Alberta farm families by offering support through AgriRecovery, helping them cope financially through this difficult time so they can sustain their business and continue feeding Canadians and the world.”

Dollars will be administered through the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC). The application deadline is Jan. 25, 2024, with extraordinary costs being incurred up until March 31, 2024.

“We know it’s been a hard year for many of Alberta’s livestock producers and we are proud to support the livestock industry through this initiative,” says Darryl Kay, AFSC CEO. “Every day, AFSC works to grow and sustain Alberta’s agriculture sector and we will ensure producers receive the support they need.”

This announcement is part of a larger disaster response totalling $365 million in federal-provincial cost-shared funding under the AgriRecovery Framework.

Producers have access to a comprehensive suite of business risk management (BRM) programs that are the first line of defence for producers facing disasters, including AgriStability, AgriInsurance and AgriInvest, the province notes.

The federal government also announced an initial list of designated regions in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba where Livestock Tax Deferral has been authorized for 2023 due to extreme weather conditions.

More information is on the AFSC website.