Cobden, Ontario – Cheryl Gallant, MP, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke on behalf of the Government of Canada, and in partnership with the province, more government assistance is on the way for Renfrew County livestock producers facing severe forage shortages as a result of this summer’s dry growing conditions. The governments of Canada and Ontario will provide assistance through AgriRecovery to help livestock producers with transportation costs incurred in accessing feed for their breeding herds over winter.
“Our Conservative Government’s top priority remains the economy,” stated Cheryl Gallant, MP. “Renfrew County’s agriculture industry plays an important role in creating jobs and keeping our local economy strong. Our area farmers know, when they need a voice in government to speak on their behalf, I deliver results.”
“Forage shortages in Ontario have forced many livestock producers to find alternate sources of feed for their animals that must be transported from long distances at a significant cost,” said MP Gallant. “Our Government has delivered support through tax deferrals, Hay East and now through AgriRecovery to cover some of those extra costs producers will incur to transport feed or to move livestock to feed.”
Drought conditions during the summer significantly reduced forage yields and damaged pastures for livestock producers in parts of Renfrew County as well as Ontario.
“I am pleased to thank local farmers who responded to my request for information as well as those individuals, Nick Zadow, Eddie and Jackie Schruder, Eganville, Ambrose and Edna Yutronkie, Killaloe, Andy and Shirley Kluke, Renfrew, John Mastine, Whitney, and Renfrew County National Farmers Union President Dave Mackay along with Tim Tabbert at property along the Snake River Line, for taking the time to personally tour their farm property to witness first-hand the effects of the drought,” said MP Cheryl Gallant. “Agriculture department officials confirmed to me that information provided by Renfrew County farmers was a determining factor in today’s announcement.”
The Ontario Forage and Livestock Transportation Assistance Initiative will provide up to $2.4 million to help affected livestock producers in designated drought areas of eastern and southwest Ontario cover a portion of the extraordinary costs of transporting feed to their breeding herds, or breeding herds to areas with surplus feed.
The two components of the initiative are:
- Up to $0.14 per tonne, per kilometer to assist with the transportation of forage and feed, or
- Up to $0.075 per kilometre, per animal, to move animals to available feed
This initiative is being delivered under the AgriRecovery Framework, which allows governments to respond to unforeseen disasters that result in extraordinary recovery costs for producers. Producers are encouraged to make full use of existing government programs – AgriInsurance, AgriStability and AgriInvest- designed to help them mitigate income and production losses.
This AgriRecovery initiative is in addition to the support governments have already provided through the HayEast initiative to help with the costs of transporting donated hay from Western Canada.
The federal government is also providing tax deferrals to eligible producers in designated drought areas on the sale of their breeding livestock. The full list of designated areas for the 2012 Livestock Tax Deferral Provision can be provided by contacting the constituency office of Cheryl Gallant, MP.
Cheryl Gallant, MP sharing the farm assistance announcement with Ontario Federation of Agriculture representative Brian Hamilton