As British Columbia continues to suffer from wildfires and drought, the province is launching a new initiative to connect farmers and livestock with much-needed feed.
Agriculture and Food Minister Pam Alexis announced the new Access to Feed program Tuesday, to be delivered in partnership with the BC Cattlemen’s Association.
“The program will help those who need hay by sourcing what’s available and matching them with sellers,” Alexis said.
“We know all of western Canada is being impacted by drought, so we’re looking at other jurisdictions where there may be some surplus hay.”
Earlier this year, the president of the BC Cattlemen’s Association said some farmers were being forced to sell their animals early or cull them due to a shortage of hay and an increase in costs.
Kevin Boon, general manager of that organization, will support the delivery and sale logistics once a source of feed has been identified through the program. This year’s drought is unlike any other, he added, acknowledging that B.C. is facing a shortage of all feeds — not just hay.
“One of the things that makes this year different than other years is, this is a provincewide drought that we’re facing,” he explained.
“In the past, we’ve been able to rely on other areas of the province to make up for shortfalls. This year we’re in a different state where all areas of the province are affected.”
Boon likened the new program to a “dating service” connecting producers with suppliers of the particular feed they need. Efforts to source hay outside and inside of B.C., as well as an accounting of what’s available, are already underway.
“In some cases, we may move the cattle to the feed and in other cases we’ll be bringing the feed up,” he said. “Of course when there’s a shortage, there’s always an increase in price.
“At some point in time, if they can’t access feed they’re going to have to make a hard decision about what to do with those animals.”
Boon said ranchers and farmers must prioritize animal welfare and the retention of mother cows. Calves and younger animals can be moved to the feed supply, as opposed to having feed brought to them.
The support is available to all farmers in need, regardless of their agricultural sector or the size of their operation. The province has offered $150,000 to support the Cattlemen’s Association with the work.
It comes in tandem with the confirmation of advanced payments for eligible farmers through Ottawa’s AgriStability program. The federal government has waived the April 30 enrollment deadline and said approved payments may be distributed in as quickly as two weeks.
Outreach to those already enrolled for the financial assistance will begin at the end of the week.
“Additionally, changes to crop insurance have been approved so producers are now able to write off grain and oilseed crops that are being converted into livestock feed in response to the drought conditions,” reads a Tuesday news release from the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
British Columbia ranks drought conditions on a scale of one to five, with the latter meaning almost certain adverse effects on communities and ecosystems. More than two-thirds of the province’s water basins at currently classified as Level 4 or Level 5, with many regions under water-use restrictions.
Jennifer Dyson, chair of the B.C. Agricultural Land Commission, said the entire province is feeling the “hurt,” while Jeremy Dunn, general manager of the BC Dairy Association, noted the impact of forage crops in particular.
“This widespread drought is impacting our forage, but all feed inputs are high and that’s impacting the economic situation for all our dairy farmers in B.C.,” he said.
“When there’s little feed availability as well as long-term impacts, we fear those will stretch into the winter and future seasons. This is compounding already challenging economic conditions.”
Dry conditions are forecast to continue in the province.