Letter to BC’s Agriculture Minister—Urgent Need for Agri-Recovery

Dear Minister Popham,

RE: Urgent need for Agri-Recovery

British Columbia’s ranchers are in desperate need of Agri-Recovery funds. On December 15 you urged producers to save receipts while the BC and federal governments worked out the details of emergency support. Weeks later, farmers and ranchers are still waiting, and the need for help is beyond urgent. 

Ranchers who managed to survive the summer’s drought and fires have seen their hay supplies washed away or ruined by the floods. Feed supplies that were saved or salvaged are threatened by further disaster if snow pack melts quickly or ice jams give way and inundate their farms again. Farmers also need support so they can take action to prevent further losses of land destabilized by November floods.

Livestock must be fed every day. With widespread drought across Western Canada, feed is increasingly in short supply, and already high hay prices are going up as availability drops. Emergency support is needed to save breeding stock that often represents the farmer’s lifetime attention to health and genetics to build herds that thrive in BC’s conditions. Farmland along riverbanks needs to be stabilized before spring runoff causes massive erosion. Preventing catastrophic loss now will put BC in a better position to recover from future climate-related challenges.

Farmers are calling on you to immediately trigger Agri-Recovery so that federal and provincial dollars can flow to where they are needed before it is too late. 

When can BC farmers expect help from Agri-Recovery? 

Sincerely,

Katie Ward, President, National Farmers Union for Laura Fash NFU National Board Member, Region 8 (BC)

CC Minister Bibeau, Federal Agriculture Minister; Ian Paton BC Liberal Critic for Agriculture & Food