MBP reacts to AgriRecovery program

The program provides up to $2.5 million to support cattle producers in Manitoba

Representatives from the Governments of Canada and Manitoba recently announced the 2020 Canada-Manitoba Finished Cattle Feed Assistance Program that is designed to help beef producers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program will provide up to $2.5 million to finished cattle producers in Manitoba. Producers can receive $1.20 per animal per day to assist in offsetting the costs of feeding animals past their expected marketing dates because of slaughter plant closures this year, the release said.

The program is “supposed to cover some of the extraordinary costs that (producers) incurred over the summer or any of the extended length of time that they may have had to hold onto their finished animals,” said Carson Callum, the general manager of Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP).

Producers have until Dec. 1, 2020 to apply for support. Producers who had cattle between April 15 and Aug. 31, 2020 may be eligible under this program.

Early on, the pandemic “added a lot of costs and a lot of market uncertainty that negatively impacted feedlot producers, in particular,” Callum told Farms.com.

MBP reps are happy to see the federal government provide its 60 per cent of funding through the AgriRecovery program. They are disappointed, however, that the province did not contribute its 40 per cent of funding, said Callum.

But MBP reps thank the provincial government for administering the program.

While MBP reps were not consulted for eligibility requirements, they plan to advocate for producers, said Callum.

“We’re encouraged to continue conversations with both levels of government to ensure that this program rolls out properly. If any adjustments are needed, we hope those discussions can happen,” he said.

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