Starland County is hoping their ranchers will get some relief following a tough season.
Extreme weather conditions have taken their toll on ranchers and this year producers in prescribed areas in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec are eligible for the Livestock Tax Deferral Provision.
According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Livestock Tax Deferral provision allows farmers who sell part of their breeding herd due to drought or flooding in prescribed drought or flood regions to defer a portion of sale proceeds to the following year.
While this year Wheatland County and Kneehill County are designated regions, Starland County was left off the initial list.
“Our area hasn’t been included in the actual government plan. They didn’t consider our area drought-stricken enough,” said Ag Fieldman Al Hampton.
Hampton said the County is lobbying on behalf of the producers.
“So we have contacted Ag Canada and our MP. We have expressed our concern that our guys are in the same position as everyone else, why aren’t they getting the same type of program option?” he said.
“We have producers who are limited on feed supply and limited on pasture. I know of some that have actually culled some cattle already to sell just because they don’t have the feed supplies,” said Hampton.
Starland was included in the program in 2015 and 2017, but not in 2016. He says they are not the only ones who were affected by drought but did not make the list.
“It also stretches into the County of Stettler and Special Areas. I have actually a person in Ottawa who is trying to figure out the program parameters, and have offered my input,” he said. “We have a few areas in Starland that are not in that bad of shape, but we have a big chunk of it that is. Drought doesn’t necessarily form borders.”
According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the preliminary list is compiled in the fall. Since forage yield information is not final until later in the year typically the final list is reported in December.
