This release was issued under a previous government.

The 2016 Bovine Tuberculosis Assistance Initiative will provide assistance to producers to cover the extraordinary costs they are facing as a result of the quarantine measures. This includes feeding and water infrastructure, feed for the animals, transportation, cleaning and disinfection as well as interest costs on loans due to the circumstances.   

Governments will be working with the industry in the coming days on the program specifics to ensure the program meets producers’ needs while being delivered in a simple and timely manner.

In the meantime, producers can continue to access immediate help to address cash flow pressures through the Advance Payments Program (APP).  Under APP, producers are eligible for an advance up to $400,000, with the first $100,000 being interest free.

"The Government of Canada understands that bovine tuberculosis is a serious challenge for affected producers. Governments will work in tandem with industry and producers to ensure that program details reflect the needs of producers and that the money flows as quickly and simply as possible.”

Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

“We know that this is a difficult time for producers who are facing financial challenges as a result of the bovine TB situation. The Government of Alberta recognizes the importance of our cattle industry to this province, and this commitment is an important step in providing our producers with the support they need.”

Oneil Carlier, Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

For more information, producers should contact AFSC toll free at 1-877-899-2372 or by email at [email protected].

Quick facts

  • The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) notified the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that a case of bovine tuberculosis (bovine TB) had been detected in a Canadian cow when it was slaughtered in the USA. The cow was from Alberta.
  • The Government of Canada is committed to protecting human and animal health, and has launched a full disease investigation.
  • Generally, findings of bovine TB do not pose a threat to public health in the Canadian context.  This is due to the extremely low prevalence of the disease in Canada.
  • The federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) cost-shared suite of Business Risk Management (BRM) programs can assist producers experiencing severe income declines due to quarantine measures. AgriRecovery was designed as an FPT disaster relief framework intended to work together with the core BRM programs to help agricultural producers recover from natural disasters.
  • The 2016 Bovine Tuberculosis Assistance Initiative funding is pending the provincial government finalizing program authorities.
  • Producers may also be eligible for compensation through CFIA under the Health of Animals Act for animals ordered destroyed; other things ordered destroyed, such as contaminated feed or animal products; and the disposal costs of animals ordered destroyed.
  • Federal and provincial government officials are continuing to monitor the situation in Saskatchewan.

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