Dry conditions brought challenges and added expense to all producers (CHAT NEWS TODAY image)

By Brian Konrad

Joint federal-provincial program of $165 million

Livestock producers eligible to apply for drought assistance on Monday

Oct 29, 2023 | 7:00 AM

EDMONTON AB. — Applications open on Monday, October 30 for the 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program.

The joint federal- provincial initiative will provide livestock producers with up to $165 million to maintain breeding herds.

“Alberta’s farmers and ranchers feed the province, country and world. The past year has been a very difficult one for many livestock producers and that’s why we’re stepping up with these supports,” says Premier Daniel Smith in a government release.

Alberta agriculture minister R.J. Sigurdson says it’s been a tough growing season with challenges due to dry conditions and many farmers and ranchers face extraordinary costs.

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.

Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) will administer the initiative and livestock producers can get more information and apply online on AFSC’s website. The application deadline is Jan. 15, 2024 and extraordinary costs can be incurred until March 31, 2024.

The 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program is one of several drought-relief support currently available for producers.

• AgriStability, a business risk management program, was reopened until Sept. 29 for late participation. This gave Alberta farmers and ranchers more time to reassess business risks and enrol to protect their operations.
• Livestock Tax Deferral, a federal provision that allows livestock producers who are forced to sell all or part of their breeding herd due to drought to defer a portion of their income from sales until the following tax year. There are 57 prescribed Alberta regions for the federal Livestock Tax Deferral.
• Low Yield Allowance, which allows for additional cereal or pulse crops to be salvaged for livestock feed, was doubled by AFSC for 2023.
• Water Pumping Program, which enables producers to rent pipe and pumping equipment from the Alberta government to fill dugouts from nearby water sources.
• Temporary Livestock Water Assistance program, which enables livestock and poultry producers affected by water shortage and drought conditions to receive streamlined support.
• Sustainable CAP Water Program, which helps producers adopt agricultural water management practices to manage risks to water quality and supplies and adapt to climatic variability.
• AFSC’s Moisture Deficiency Insurance (pasture) and Moisture Deficiency Endorsement (hay), which compensates producers when precipitation falls below the normal expected amount at selected weather stations. Producers can also buy production insurance on hay crops.
• Alberta provides timely information to assist producers with management decisions during dry conditions and periods of business stress, including the Alberta Crop Report, Alberta Climate Information Service and other resources on the farming in dry conditions webpage.
• The Sustainable CAP is a five-year (2023-28), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation and resiliency in the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.
• This includes $1 billion in federal programs and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs funded 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially-territorially.