Assistance for livestock producers in Saskatchewan drought areas

The Saskatchewan government will provide up to $70 million to help livestock producers in severe drought areas offset the cost of purchasing or transporting feed.

The program will be administered by Sask Crop Insurance and will provide up to $80 per head to maintain breeding stock for beef cattle, bison, horse, elk, deer, sheep, and goats.

Additional information, including application forms, will be available in the coming days from Sask Crop Insurance.

Provincial Agriculture Minister David Marit says immediate measures are needed as farmers and ranchers deal with significant challenges due to drought, particularly in southwest and west-central Saskatchewan.

There is the possibility of additional federal assistance at a later date through the AgriRecovery program. Marit explains why Saskatchewan is acting early.

Marit is optimistic about federal assistance in the coming days.

Here is the breakdown of the maximum payment per head available under the new program. For beef cattle, bison, and horses—the maximum is $80 per head. The highest amount for elk is $40 per head with sheep, goats, and deer at a top number of $16 per head.

An email from the ministry of Agriculture indicates application forms will be available by early September—with funding starting to flow mid-to-late September to help producers assess their feed situation and whether there is a need to downsize their herd.

Keith Day is the Chair of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association. He is looking forward to a similar announcement from the federal government.

Meantime, the federal government has released a list of rural municipalities where producers can apply for the Livestock Tax Deferral. Ninety-six RM’s are included—or about one-third of the provincial total. In a news release, the federal government says it is working with the governments of Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C. to examine the impacts of drought and wildfires to determine whether additional support will be coming from the AgriRecovery program.

The full list of eligible RM’s is below: