A wildfire burning near Edson in May 2023. Photo from Alberta Wildfire.
After livestock producers struggled through drought conditions this summer, the provincial and federal government are coming to their aid.
The two governments are partnering on a 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance response, which will see $165 million go to livestock producers to “help them manage extraordinary costs, and cover losses incurred from managing and maintaining breeding hurds for grazing animals,” according to RJ Sigurdson, the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.
The costs of the response will be split, with the federal government providing $99 million, and the Alberta government providing $66 million.
The drought conditions in Alberta this summer, along with the record-breaking number of wildfires, heavily impacted the operations of livestock producers throughout the province, according to George Chahal, MP for Calgary Skyview. He said that “our governments are working hard to help the industry recover.”
Sigurdson reiterated the importance of livestock producers in Alberta’s economy, mentioning that this initiative goes beyond the corporate side of things.
“This drought relief initiative will help take some of the pressure off and support producers to protect their livelihoods, while they continue to put food on tables around the world,” Sigurdson said.
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