Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announces Emergency On-Farm Support Fund

Contributed

On October 5, the Government of Canada announced the Emergency On-Farm Support Fund. The program provides $35 million in funding to improve health and safety on farms and in employee living quarters to prevent and respond to the spread of COVID-19.

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the fund will provide support to farmers for direct infrastructure improvements to living quarters and work stations, temporary or emergency housing (on or off-farm), as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitary stations, and any other health and safety measures to safeguard the health and safety of Canadian and temporary foreign workers from COVID-19. Contributions under the program will be cost-shared 50:50 with the applicants up to $100,000.

Eligible recipients are primary Canadian agricultural producers (including farms, ranches, and feedlots) that produce agricultural products for resale and employ farm workers, either domestic and/ or Temporary Foreign Workers. Eligible farms can be structured as sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations/cooperatives/communal organizations, trusts, or band farms.

AAFC will be delivering the fund to producers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. In British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, the program will be delivered by the provincial government or other agency. The roll-out of these programs will occur in the coming weeks.

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association will communicate additional information about Emergency On-Farm Support Fund when it becomes available.