Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Governments back Ontario drought-stricken livestock producers' feed transport costs

Thursday, December 13, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

Ontario livestock breeders in specific drought stricken areas across the province will soon be able to tap into government funding to help pay transportation costs for feed, or to truck animals to areas with available feed.

The federal and Ontario governments jointly announced up to $2.4 million in funding Friday morning at the Cobden Agricultural Hall in Renfrew County. The funding is for livestock farmers in designated drought areas in eastern and southwestern Ontario to help cover a portion of their extraordinary transportation costs. The $2.4 million is in addition to funding the two governments have pledged for the Hay East campaign.

Dan Darling, Ontario Cattlemen’s Association president, says in a press release the transportation funds “are imperative for financial stability and will help Ontario farmers maintain their breeding herds over the winter months.” He thanked the governments for their support.

The financial assistance enables farmers to get up to 14 cents a tonne, per kilometre to help transport forage and feed and up to 75 cents 7.5 cents per kilometre, per animal to move animals to available feed.

The announcement was made by MP Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke) on behalf of federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and MPP Phil McNeely (Ottawa-Orleans) on behalf of Ontario Agriculture Minister Ted McMeekin.

The money for the Ontario Forage and Livestock Transportation Assistance Initiative falls under the federal and provincial AgriRecovery disaster relief program.

McMeekin said during a teleconference after the announcement was made in Cobden that farmers would be able to apply for the program early in the new year.

This summer’s drought severely affected 15 counties and regions in the province, McMeekin says.

In a background document to the announcement, it says from the beginning of May to late August much of southern Ontario received at least 40 per cent less precipitation than normal. The dry weather caused a significant drop in forage production in the province. Some farmers were forced to feed their first cut hay in July and August, which means they have less hay available to feed this winter.

Gallant says livestock farmers are suffering from “forage shortages due to prolonged drought this summer and some would argue that drought is still ongoing.”

The forage shortages have forced many livestock farmers to find alternate sources of feed for their animals “that must be transported from long distances at a significant costs,” she says. And that’s why the federal and provincial governments worked closely to develop a response “that compliments the existing programming and ensures producers have the necessary support to keep their breeding herds over the winter months.”

McNeely says the up to $2.4 million in funding will help Ontario farmers who face difficulty keeping their livestock through the winter. “The Ontario government knows that the need among farmers in specific areas of the province is great because of the weather.”

More information and details on how to apply can be obtained from Agricorp.

The federal government is also providing tax deferrals to eligible producers in designated drought areas on the sale of their breeding livestock. The list of designated areas for the 2012 Livestock Tax Deferral Provision is at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Drought Watch site. BF

Current Issue

June/July 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Ontario crops respond to summer heat

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

According to the OMAFA Field Crop News team, Ontario field crops are showing rapid development as summer-like temperatures have dominated late June early July. The warm spell has accelerated growth and helped reduce the heat unit deficit from a cool spring. Corn fields have seen a burst... Read this article online

Canada’s Place in Global Food System Resilience

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Canada’s food system is facing serious pressure due to global supply chain issues, climate change, and rising food prices. According to a KPMG report, bold and united action is needed now to make Canada’s agriculture sector more resilient and self-reliant. With the global population... Read this article online

Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth

Monday, June 30, 2025

Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online

Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility

Friday, June 27, 2025

Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online

Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost

Friday, June 27, 2025

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top