Saskatchewan gov’t unveils details of drought response initiative

The Saskatchewan government has revealed the details of its AgriRecovery program.

Applications for the 2021 Canada-Saskatchewan Drought Response Initiative will be accepted starting Wednesday.

Producers will receive two payments totalling up to $200 per head for cattle, with adjustments based on animal unit equivalents for other livestock.

The first payment will be $100 per breeding female equivalent in inventory as of Aug. 1. The second payment will be up to $100 per breeding female equivalent in inventory as of Dec. 31.

“We are here to support livestock producers during this difficult time,” David Marit, Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister, said in a media release.

“We have worked efficiently to solidify initiative details and understand producers need financial assistance to help offset costs associated with herd management decisions. We are eager to begin accepting applications for the Initiative on September 1.”

Livestock eligible for the payments are Canadian-owned female beef and dairy cattle, bison, elk, sheep or goats that are bred or intended to be bred. The number of open replacement females that can be considered eligible livestock is 15 per cent of the total number of bred females.

Earlier this month, the province announced it was providing $119 million to drought-affected livestock producers under the AgriRecovery program.

Applications for the initiative are available on the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation’s website.