Manitoba drought sparks urgent farm support call

PC Caucus demands drought aid for Interlake farmers

As drought conditions continue to worsen across Manitoba, the Progressive Conservative Caucus urged the NDP government on July 23 to take immediate action to support affected farmers—especially in the hard-hit Interlake region. 

PC Deputy Leader and Agriculture Critic Jeff Bereza is calling on the government to work with Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) to roll out targeted drought relief programs. These would support cattle and forage producers now facing skyrocketing feed costs and shrinking supply. 

“Producers in the Interlake are sounding the alarm. There simply won’t be enough feed to get through winter,” said Bereza. “The Kinew government needs to act now. Work with MASC, deliver feed assistance and freight support, and help our producers offset the skyrocketing costs of sourcing feed from other regions. These are tools the NDP already have—they just need to use them. Right now, producers are seeing inaction.” 

Several local governments have already declared agricultural states of emergency, including the RMs of Armstrong, Coldwell, St. Laurent, and Woodlands. Bereza said these declarations highlight how urgent the situation has become. 

Lakeside MLA Trevor King emphasized the region’s unpredictable weather and rainfall, noting that some parts of the Interlake have received only 25% of their normal precipitation. “Some areas of the Interlake have received as little as 25% of their normal rainfall,” said King. “The weather here is incredibly variable—a few kilometres can mean the difference between a salvageable pasture and a complete crop failure. That’s why region-specific supports are critical.” 

Former Agriculture Minister and Interlake-Gimli MLA Derek Johnson pointed to past efforts, saying, “During the 2021 drought, our PC government moved quickly to support producers through MASC, with feed and transportation supports and AgriRecovery programs,” said Johnson. “We’re hoping that the NDP act just as urgently. Delays could force producers to sell herds that they’ve spent generations building.” 

Bereza warned that continued delays could lead to long-term damage. “Producers may be forced to sell herds they’ve built for generations,” he said. 

“This is a solvable problem,” said Bereza. “The NDP just need to listen to producers and take action, because rising production costs on the farm don’t stop at the farm gate. They show up in the grocery stores too.”The PC Caucus is calling for immediate action to ensure food affordability and agricultural stability for all Manitobans. 

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