Earlier this year, the Governments of Ontario and Canada committed to providing up to $5 million in immediate support to help beef farmers manage costs associated with the impacts of COVID-19 should the sector be faced with processing disruptions.
The program is now being implemented in Ontario following the temporary idling of the Cargill processing facility in Guelph, Ontario, on December 17, 2020. The facility was temporarily shut down out of an abundance of caution as their local workforce deals with the community-wide impacts of COVID-19.This facility accounts for approximately 70 per cent of eastern Canada’s harvest capacity, which will create logistical challenges for beef producers.
Effective today, December 21, 2020, beef farmers in Ontario can apply for funding to help cover increased costs of feeding and setting aside market-ready cattle due to COVID-19 related processing delays. Producers can apply for up to 63 days of coverage for cull animals and fed animals, up to a maximum of 500 animals per intake. To learn more about program details, intake dates and eligibility on the Agricorp website, please click here.
The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) thanks Ministers Marie-Claude Bibeau and Ernie Hardeman for quickly implementing this important tool to help Ontario beef farmers manage the impacts of beef processing disruptions. CCA and Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) will continue to work with governments and our industry partners on other measures to help address the current challenges facing the beef cattle industry.
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