A new funding program is offering $228 million in recovery monies for farmers impacted by the November flooding that wreaked havoc on the Fraser Valley and parts of southern B.C.
The Canada-BC Flood Recovery Program for Food Security, announced Monday (Feb. 7) by Agriculture Minister Lana Popham and her federal counterpart Marie-Claude Bibeau, will be for farmers and ranchers who incurred extraordinary expenses from uninsurable damages, such as:
- cleanup, repair and restoration of land, barns and animal shelters, water and waste systems; returning flood-impacted land and buildings to a safe environment for agricultural production
- repair of uninsurable essential farm infrastructure, reasonable repair of on-farm structures such as livestock containment fences and the rental of temporary production facilities drainage ditches and riprap
- animal welfare; replacement feed as well as livestock transportation, veterinary care and mortality disposal
- loss of perennial plants not raised for resale
鈥淭he November flooding was the most impactful agricultural disaster ever in our province, resulting in profound losses for many B.C. farmers and food producers, and we鈥檙e responding with a program that delivers the greatest amount of support of its kind in B.C.鈥檚 history,鈥� Popham said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e worked closely with farmers and farming organizations to make sure we have a comprehensive response that will support their recovery, help them get their farms back in production, and continue our collective efforts to build a resilient food system and food economy in B.C.鈥�
A committee of federal and provincial ministers who are working together and with Indigenous leadership to guide immediate and ongoing support to B.C. families, businesses and communities affected by the extreme weather events.
Farmers who have already undertaken any work are advised to keep their receipts, track the hours of work involved and take pictures documenting the damage and repairs to support their application.
EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE: This is a corrected story. Previous versions erroneously stated the funds were $288 million, and not $228 million.
