Prairie Farmers to Get $448 Million for Flood Damage

August 5, 2011 – Water-logged Prairie farmers are to receive $448 million in federal funding to help cope with disastrous flood damage.

August 5, 2011 – Water-logged Prairie farmers are to receive $448 million in federal funding to help cope with disastrous flood damage.

Ottawa along with the Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments say farmers will get $30 an acre for land that couldn't be seeded by June 20, or which was seeded but then flooded by the
end of July.  The funding is provided through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's AgriRecovery Initiative.

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz made the announcement Thursday in southeast Saskatchewan, which was hit hard by flooding this spring.

Ritz said 5.6 million hectares may be affected.

In Saskatchewan, the watershed authority issued warnings months ago that said there was a high likelihood of flooding from spring runoff, especially in the southern part of the province. That was followed by heavy rains that battered many areas in the region.

The Saskatchewan government estimates that about 3.2 million hectares of unseeded or seeded land was flooded.

Manitoba's largest farm organization said last month that losses from this spring's flood are staggering.

Keystone Agricultural Producers said 1.2 million hectares have been destroyed by flooding and excessive moisture. It said the cost to the economy is about $3 billion.

Livestock producers who are coping with the effects of excess moisture this spring and summer can also apply for financial assistance to help cover additional costs, such as renting pasture and transporting feed or livestock. Specific program details will be provided by each province.