September 2008 Updates

Breaking News & Updates The following information became available after the September 2008 issue of Cattle Country was printed: MCPA Update

Manitoba News Release

September 8, 2008

September 5, 2008

The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association will be meeting with the provincial government this week to further discuss the flooding situation in the Interlake/Westlake regions. Once final word is received from the Federal and Provincial governments on what they are willing to do financially to assist farmers, it will be posted right here with pertinent links.

MANITOBA FORAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE TO PRODUCERS Applications are now available for the new Forage Assistance Program for Manitoba livestock producers who are in need of financial help to transport feed or livestock due to excess moisture or drought conditions, Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced today. “We know that for affected livestock producers it’s urgent they can get feed to the areas most affected by this year’s excessive rains, overland flooding and drought,” said Wowchuk. “We’ve accelerated our work on this program to deliver assistance to producers as soon as possible.” Application forms are now available at Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) GO Offices and will be available online beginning this weekend at www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture. MAFRI staff will also be available to provide producers with information and advice on livestock nutrition, alternative feeds and financial management. Contact any MAFRI GO Office to answer questions or to arrange for an appointment. To be eligible for the Forage Assistance Program, producers must be short of feed due to drought or excess moisture conditions and have had ownership of the animals from Aug. 1, 2008, to the date of application. Also, the animals must be located in Manitoba. The amount of assistance available will vary with the type of feed and livestock. Eligible livestock include beef cattle, dairy cattle fed to produce beef, bison, elk, sheep, goats, deer, ranch horses and llamas. The program applies across Manitoba, providing feed transportation assistance for hay and straw being transported to feed to eligible animals. As a farm management alternative, the program provides support to transport livestock to alternate feeding locations in Manitoba. In addition to hay and straw, in specifically designated rural municipalities (RMs), grain, pelleted screenings and concentrated feeds are also eligible for transportation assistance. The designated RMs include St. Laurent, Coldwell, Siglunes, Grahamdale, Fisher, Bifrost, Eriksdale, Armstrong, Gimli, Alonsa, Mossey River, Ethelbert, Mountain South and Lawrence, areas of Northern Affairs jurisdiction and the First Nations of Peguis, Fisher River, Lake Manitoba, Ebb and Flow, Sandy Bay, Little Saskatchewan, Lake St. Martin, Dauphin River, Kinonjeoshtegon, O-Chi-ChakKo-Sipi and Skownan, and Pinaymootang. Completed applications must be submitted to a MAFRI GO Office no later than March 31, 2009.

Manitoba News Release September 5, 2008 PROVINCE TO COVER FULL COSTS OF WELL-WATER TESTING FOR FLOOD-AFFECTED INTERLAKE RESIDENTS Residents Including Those from Arborg, Gypsumville, Fisher Branch, Ashern Urged to Test Well Water Residents of the Interlake are encouraged to test wells that may have been affected by overland flooding and the province will pay for the precautionary tests, Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick announced today. “We are urging residents to test their well water as soon as possible, as a precaution, due to record rains,” said Melnick. “Some areas received about twice the normal amount of rain since June.” The Arborg, Gypsumville, Fisher Branch and Ashern areas received 385 to 474 millimetres of precipitation since June, the highest amount recorded since 1951. As a precautionary measure, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health advises that all people using water from wells or other sources that may have been affected by heavy rains or flooding should boil their water before using it or find alternative supplies of drinking water until flooding subsides and appropriate tests are satisfactory. “The storm of Aug. 11 to 12 will go down in the records as a onein-150-year event because 85 mm of rain fell over 90 minutes on already saturated ground,” said Melnick The province covers 70 per cent of such water testing but under the current circumstances, well owners’ 30 per cent share is being waived for the flooded areas until Nov. 30. For further details on water testing, contact the local Manitoba Water Stewardship or Manitoba Conservation office, the Manitoba Office of Drinking Water at 204-945-5762 or Health Links–Info Santé at 204-788-8200 or toll-free at 1-888-315-9257. Access to Manitoba well-water fact sheets is available at: www. gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cmoh/water.html.

1

A hay listing service and feeding location service is available to farmers who need to purchase hay or straw or have excess hay and straw for sale. The listing is located at www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/production.html under Gateways. For further information please contact your nearest MAFRI GO Office.

MCPA News Release September 2, 2008 HAY SHORTAGE AFFECTING MANITOBA CATTLE PRODUCERS

The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association is putting the call out to farmers to aide in the shortage of feed cattle producers are facing this winter. In an effort to offset a serious feed shortage, the MCPA is asking all producers that do not normally drop their straw to drop it this year so that it can be baled. If you have straw available please call the MCPA office at 1-800772-0458 and we will connect you with producers who are in need. Additionally, if you have or are looking for feed, a provincial government website has been created to match those who need hay and those who have excess hay at http://web2.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/haysearch/index.php

2