Hay East program will run to June

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

by SUSAN MANN

The voluntary farmer-led program to bring donated Western Canadian hay to drought-stricken Ontario farmers has been extended until June 1 after the province kicked in more money to keep it going.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture says in a March 20 press release Ontario’s government gave the program an additional $150,000 and that money, along with private donations, means the program can keep going until the beginning of June.

Neil Currie, federation general manager, says since October 2012 $240,000 in private cash donations has been received. The money will be used to bring in at least 50 more loads and “maybe more if we can find them,” Currie says.

About 50 to 60 people are still on the waiting list to receive hay. Currie says “if we do another 50 (loads) I think that should get one time through the list.” He notes that some people have dropped out of the list because they liquidated their herds over the winter.

The additional money is being used to cover transportation costs to move hay to Ontario from Saskatchewan and Alberta. Many livestock farmers in Ontario faced tight hay supplies and dramatically higher prices after last summer’s drought. Farmers had to start feeding the hay they had stored for winter during the growing season last year because the drought also dried up pastures.

In the federation’s release, Premier and Agriculture Minister Kathleen Wynne says the additional money for Hay East “will help bring hay to Ontario producers over the next several months until pastures are ready.”

A partnership of farm groups across Canada is delivering the Hay East program. It’s a follow up to the Hay West campaign in 2002 when Eastern Canadian farmers donated hay to help their Western counterparts who faced drought conditions at the time.

Private donations can still be made to Hay East 2012 at any Scotiabank branch across Canada or through the program’s website at: www.hayeast2012.ca . BF