Ontario providing additional drought support to farmers
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This funding is in addition to the $2 million already announced for feed, water and fencing.
Financial support is being made available through the federal-provincial AgriRecovery program, a cost-share initiative designed to help farmers cover the extraordinary costs caused by severe drought and feed shortages in Ontario.
Ontario is committing up to $5 million in funding for the 40 per cent provincial cost share. The federal government announced $100 million for AgriRecovery across the drought area in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.
Ontario is calling on the federal government to include in the AgriRecovery program costs related to hay and other feeds, transportation of feed, transportation of animals to feed, measures to provide water to animals including trucking and equipment, temporary fencing and other extraordinary costs related to the drought.
These costs are estimated at approximately $200 per head for cattle.
The initiative was designed to help farmers cover the costs of such necessities as feed and hay, construction of temporary fencing for livestock to graze in alternative locations and the sourcing of water for farm animals.
This initiative was an interim measure while the provincial and federal governments worked together to develop this longer term AgriRecovery response. ■