Livestock Drought Relief: Applications Now Open for Support

This initiative, backed by up to $165 million through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, aims to provide financial support to livestock producers grappling with exceptional costs brought on by this year's dry conditions.

Livestock producers who adapted grazing practices for more than 21 days due to drought conditions can seek financial aid. The program covers losses incurred in managing and maintaining female breeding animals, including cattle, bison, horses, elk, sheep, goats, alpacas, yak, musk ox, deer, water buffalo, and llamas. A minimum of 15 animals per type of livestock is required for eligibility.

Financial benefits will be calculated based on a feed-need assessment for feed costs resulting from lost grazing days for eligible breeding animals on hand as of December 31, 2023. Eligible producers could receive up to $150 per head to sustain the breeding herd in drought-affected regions.

The Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) will oversee the initiative, and livestock producers can find more information and apply online on AFSC's website. The application deadline is January 15, 2024, with extraordinary costs accepted until March 31, 2024.

This announcement is part of a broader disaster response involving $365 million in federal-provincial cost-shared funding under the AgriRecovery Framework. The aid is intended to assist farmers and ranchers in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan dealing with extraordinary costs due to extreme weather conditions this year.

Livestock producers already have access to various business risk management programs, including AgriStability, AgriInsurance, and AgriInvest, offering protection against income and production losses. The federal government has also authorized Livestock Tax Deferral for 2023 in designated regions of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba due to extreme weather conditions.