Agricultural producers affected by B.C.’s devastating wildfire season are now eligible for financial support.
The 2018 Canada-British Columbia Wildfire Recovery Initiative will provide up to $5 million to assist them.
“I think it is critical for the local agricultural community to get this support,” said Bill Miller, Chair of the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. “So much was lost this summer – supplies, infrastructure and time.”
“The summer season is extremely important to farmers as it is the season that most of the work gets done,” he added. “The effect of this wildfire season will be felt for years to come.”
READ MORE: Wildfire season in Burns Lake a “rollercoaster of emotions”
The initiative is cost-shared between the federal and provincial governments on a 60-40 per cent ratio.
According to the provincial government, the initiative is intended to help farmers and ranchers with the extraordinary expenses necessary for recovery, enabling them to return to production as quickly as possible.
Areas of assistance include:
- Costs related to ensuring animal health and safety;
- Feed, shelter and transportation costs;
- Costs to re-establishing tame perennial forage damaged by the fires;
- Other eligible costs include fencing, irrigation equipment repair, veterinary costs, replacement of bees and hives lost to fire and rentals of specialized facilities.
For application details, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/programs/bc-wildfires-agrirecovery-initiative/2018-bc-wildfires-agrirecovery-initiative.
For more information, call 1-888-332-3352 or email AgriRecoveryWildfireInitiative@gov.bc.ca.
According to the regional district, dedicated personnel are in place to assist producers with the application process, as well as verifying damages, losses and the arrangements for payments.
B.C. farmers, ranchers, food processors and fishers sold $14.2 billion-worth of food and beverages in 2017, and exported almost $4 billion worth of products, both higher than ever before.
RELATED: Challenges of producers in Burns Lake and area
@flavio_nienow
flavionienow@gmail.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.