The Alberta government is heeding the call from Ag producers for support in the ongoing Drought 2021.
This week MyLakelandNow reported that Alberta Beef Producers was seeking the ear of Ag Minister Devin Dreeshen to impress upon him their dire need.
Yesterday the Ag Minister indicated that they had a verbal commitment from Ottawa that a joint AgriRecovery program will be initiated to support Prairie producers, even if a federal election were to be called in the near future.
Dreeshen said at the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Agriculture Ministers’ meeting, they raised the matter of the extreme dry conditions on the Prairies that are increasing costs and reducing yields for farmers and ranchers.
Details of the AgriRecovery support are still to be worked out. The cost-shared program provides emergency support in cases like natural disasters, with the Federal government providing 60 per cent of the funding and the province providing the rest. Provinces have to submit a request to trigger the program.
Dreeshen has asked Alberta crop adjusters to be flexible and complete early assessments of affected crop and hay lands. Also, the government has already kicked in a 20 per cent reduction in insurance premiums so that more ag producers can get insurance coverage for crop, pasture and forage.
The province also has a Water Pumping Program that provides help to producers for the emergency filling of dugouts for livestock.