Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 5, 2008) - The federal government will provide assistance to Manitoba livestock producers facing feed shortages as a result of overland flooding and other weather related issues. The announcement of $6.1 million in support was made today by Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. Funds will be delivered through the Manitoba Forage Assistance Program (MFAP).

"The Stephen Harper Government is committed to putting farmers first," said Minister Ritz. "We are pleased to partner with the Government of Manitoba to provide funding through AgriRecovery which will assist livestock producers during this difficult time."

Consistently heavy rainfalls, overland flooding and drought in different areas of the province have resulted in many livestock producers being unable to salvage their forage crops. As a result, there is a serious shortage of feed to meet wintering requirements.

Federal funds are being made available under AgriRecovery, which allows governments to respond quickly when disaster strikes. AgriRecovery is cost shared 60/40 between the federal, and provincial and territorial governments and was designed to cover gaps in existing programs.

Last week Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced the MFAP to help livestock producers access feed supplies. With the funding announced today, a total of $10.2 million in federal and provincial assistance is available through the program.

Application forms for the MFAP will soon be available at all Manitoba Agriculture offices and on the provincial web site.

Assistance is also available to producers through the AgriStability program. Producers can apply now for 2008 interim payments, which provide early access to a portion of their estimated AgriStability payment. For more information, producers can call 1-866-367-8506. The federal government and the province have agreed to increase the interim payment percentage from 50 to up to 60 per cent, which will provide additional cash flow to affected producers.

In addition, both governments are committed to working with producers who are not currently enrolled in AgriStability to help them gain access to emergency advances under the federal Advance Payments Program, which provides producers with extra cash flow of up to $400,000, with the first $100,000 in cash advances being available interest free. For more information, producers can call 1-888-346-2511.

The federal government and the province will also undertake an analysis of the needs in the interlake region of Manitoba with respect to pasture restoration and drainage infrastructure.