Livestock producers that have been struggling with the drought can now apply for the 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program.

Qualifying producers will have had to change their grazing plans due to the drought for more than 21 days.

Benefits will be based on a feed-need calculation for feed costs incurred from lost grazing days for eligible breeding animals on hand as of Dec. 31, 2023. 

Animals must be breeding animals - females that have been bred between January 1 and December 31, 2023.

Eligible producers can access up to $150 per head to help maintain the breeding herd which includes cattle, bison, horses, elk, sheep, goats, alpacas, yak, musk ox, deer, water buffalo and llamas, and homestead grazing pigs (limited to Kunekune pigs).

A minimum of 15 animals per type of livestock are required to qualify.

More information and application forms are available at AgriRecovery - Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (afsc.ca)

Applications will remain open until January 15, 2024.

The 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance program is valued at $165 million and is a joint AgriRecovery response with Ottawa providing $99 million and $66 million coming from the province.