Help coming for ranchers impacted by bovine TB quarantine: Ottawa

OTTAWA – The federal government says it will compensate cattle ranchers impacted by the bovine tuberculosis quarantine in western Canada – financial help the Opposition says can’t come soon enough.

READ MORE: Alberta ranchers under bovine tuberculosis quarantine to ask feds for help 

Three dozen cattle operations in Alberta and Saskatchewan have been placed under quarantine as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency tries to pinpoint the source of the outbreak and determine how far it has spread.

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READ MORE: Alberta rancher at centre of TB quarantine speaks out – ‘No one is going to come out of this unscathed’

Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay told the House of Commons Thursday the government intends to help the affected ranchers, but he provided no specifics.

Roughly 18,000 cattle have been placed under quarantine as the agency conducts testing, and some ranchers have faced long waits to have their cattle inspected.

READ MORE: What is bovine tuberculosis?

A farmer himself, MacAulay said he understands the “serious challenge” faced by the ranchers.

“We are committed to compensate these ranchers for the costs they are facing including interest on their advance payment loans,” he said in response to a question from Lloyd Longfield, a fellow
Liberal MP.