. Agri-news. Agriculture. C 'A, A. June 18,2001 Drought disaster declared, farmer assistance announced Extreme dry conditions and lack of significant precipitation prompted the province to declare a drought disaster and respond to the immediate need of livestock producers. The province will provide assistance of $4 per acre through the Native Forage component of the Farm Income Assistance Program 2001 (FIAP 2001). The province is suffering from a lack of moisture not seen for more than 130 years. Below normal precipitation in late summer, fall and winter did not replenish moisture reserves, an
. Agri-news. Agriculture. C 'A, A. June 18,2001 Drought disaster declared, farmer assistance announced Extreme dry conditions and lack of significant precipitation prompted the province to declare a drought disaster and respond to the immediate need of livestock producers. The province will provide assistance of $4 per acre through the Native Forage component of the Farm Income Assistance Program 2001 (FIAP 2001). The province is suffering from a lack of moisture not seen for more than 130 years. Below normal precipitation in late summer, fall and winter did not replenish moisture reserves, and lack of spring rainfall and high winds have increased the problem. Livestock producers across most of the province are dealing with poor pasture growth and very low to dry dugout levels. "This is a critical issue across the entire province and many producers are being forced to sell off their herds," says Shirley McClellan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. "It takes years to build up a herd. To be forced to sell off your cows because you can't feed them is absolutely devastating for ; Since March 1, 2001, more than 80,000 cow/calf pairs have been sold off from farmers' herds. The severe drought is threatening to impact a $7 3 billion primary agricultural industry in Alberta, of which livestock accounts for 60 per cent. Alberta has 40 per cent of the Canadian beef cow herd and more than 65 per cent of Canada's beef cattle are finished in Alberta. "We are providing this drought relief to allow farmers to use the money in away they determine will best meet their immediate needs," McClellan adds. The province's honey producers, also affected by the severe drought conditions, will receive $4 per operational hive in 2001 under the Honey component of FIAP 2001. In total, $73 million is being made available under the FIAP 2001 program for the province's livestock and honey producers. In order to help Alberta
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