Saskatchewan livestock producers affected by drought can now request support from the provincial government through Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC), a Provincial Treasury Board Crown corporation administered by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Producers in some areas of the province, particularly the west, are dealing with drought. Precipitation has remained well below normal this season, contributing to a substantial moisture deficit and hindering recovery of pasture and forage ranges.
The Government of Saskatchewan made the announcement on Aug. 21 as a way of helping livestock producers whose feed costs have skyrocketed. The province will make up to $70 million available based on receipts and/or appropriate documentation showing 'extraordinary' expenses for the purchase of feed or the transportation of feed or livestock.
"Immediate measures are needed as farmers and ranchers deal with significant challenges due to drought," said David Marit, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister, in a press release announcing the measure. "Our government is committed to ensuring livestock producers have the support they need, as they continue to provide the high-quality food Saskatchewan families rely on."
Application forms will be available in the coming days and weeks from SCIC through their website at www.scic.ca or by calling (toll-free) at 1-844-723-1211. The funding will provide eligible producers with up to $80 per head to maintain breeding stock for beef cattle, bison, horse, elk, deer, sheep, and goats.
"We appreciate the province stepping up and providing their portion of the AgriRecovery payment," said Keith Day, Board Chair of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association. "We look forward to a similar announcement from the federal government to provide their funding to ensure our producers get the help they need through these challenging times."
Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), called the support "promising," and praised the province for the speed with which they apportioned the funds.
"We are confident that the federal government is working together with the province to assess how they can provide additional support through AgriRecovery and [we] look forward to seeing what that much-needed assistance will be," Orb added.
As part of other supports implemented to help mitigate the province's drought situation, the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada have agreed to increase the 2023 AgriStability interim benefit payment percentage from 50 per cent to 75 per cent, so producers can access a larger portion of their final AgriStability benefit early.
The AgriStability compensation rate also recently increased from 70 to 80 per cent. In July, the federal and provincial governments announced SCIC was doubling the low yield appraisal threshold values to allow additional acres of cereal, pulse, canola, and flax crops to be diverted to feed. Saskatchewan has also frozen the 2023 rate charged to producers who lease Crown grazing land. Additionally, through the 2023 Crown Grazing Lease Rental Reduction Program, lessees may be eligible for a rent reduction due to the impact of drought.
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