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Inspecting the vines
BC farmers and producers now have until June 30 to enrol in the Federal-Provincial-Territorial AgriStability Program, giving them an extra two months to assess their risk-management needs.
“Our government is doing everything it can to support producers to ensure they make it through the challenges today and are better positioned for the future,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Many producers are facing stress and uncertainty due to circumstances beyond their control. This step to extend the enrolment deadline will help more producers manage the impact of challenges facing their farm operations and provide them with more time to take advantage of the support available under AgriStability.”
Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriStability provides income protection to farmers and producers who experience large financial declines caused by production losses, disease outbreak, increased costs or declining market conditions.
“BC’s agricultural community has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as climate-related weather impacts from droughts, heatwaves, wildfires and floods, so we want to ensure we have their backs and allow extra time for those who may need AgriStability most to apply,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food. “Recognizing the hardships faced over the past year and the likelihood that we’ll continue to see climate-related impacts and disruptions, we are urging eligible farmers and producers to sign up so they can have peace of mind that they’ll have financial assistance if needed.”