Alberta officially declares bovine tuberculosis outbreak a disaster
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EDMONTON — The bovine tuberculosis outbreak in southern Alberta has officially been declared a disaster by the provincial government.
The NDP government declaration allows the government to access relief funding to help ranchers cover costs associated with the outbreak. The disease first surfaced in October following a diagnosis of the disease reported in a single cow from a herd near Jenner, slaughtered in the United States.
Oneil Carlier, Agriculture Minister for the province, says the government will do whatever they can to help producers and ranchers, who are sinking further into debt and are unable to sell their cattle.
“I absolutely recognize the beef industry in Alberta is very strong, very part of our agriculture economy,” he said over the phone on Friday from Edmonton. “I’m proud of the work we’ve done in providing assistance to ranchers and proud we’re able to advocate on their behalf to the Federal government.”
In late November, federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay said the government will provide up to $16.7 million in compensation to western ranchers impacted by the quarantine.
Carlier adds he is traveling to speak with ranchers and producers next week about the challenges they are seeing as a result of the outbreak.
“From the very beginning, I was aware of the situation, was conscious about what could happen, that this time of year was bad, that the number of animals affected was bad,” he said. “If I have an opportunity to talk to them face-to-face and get their perspective right from the, i think it would be very helpful.”
This year the federal government negotiated deals with China and Mexico to lift some restrictions on Canadian beef products. The restrictions that had been in place since the BSE crisis in 2003. Carlier said the bovine TB outbreak isn’t expected to impact sales to those markets.
