CCA Urges Federal Government to Launch Quick Response to B.C. Wildfires

The wildfire situation in British Columbia is unprecedented and many fires are centered in some of the heaviest populated areas for cattle production

by Canadian Cattlemen Association

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) has asked the federal government for a quick response to the wildfire disaster as the need for resources is urgent.

As of mid-July, wildfires have ravaged more than 150,000 hectares of land and consumed fencing and other crucial private and public infrastructure.

“The CCA’s thoughts and prayers are with all the hard-working farm families and everyone in B.C. impacted by the wildfires”

 

Ranchers in affected areas are having to leave behind an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 cattle, often their only choice when cattle are dispersed throughout hundreds of heavily forested acres and not easily accessible to be rounded up. With the wildfire situation far from over, it will be many weeks before the extent of the damage to farms, land and animals and impact to industry can be fully assessed.

As an initial start, the CCA is requesting the federal government provide a tax deferral for B.C. producers who chose to sell cattle, and assistance to deal with infrastructure and livestock losses and transportation of cattle and feed. While efforts to get the fires under control continue, CCA is focused on disaster relief support through AgriRecovery to help the B.C. industry regain its footing. In July, CCA raised the urgency around the need for more fire-fighting resources with Ottawa and again last week with Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) agriculture ministers at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture Roundtable in St. John’s, NL. There the CCA discussed the federal budget, NAFTA, the Next Policy Framework and Food Policy ahead of the FPT Agriculture Ministers annual meeting in St. John’s.

As we work through this difficult time together, the CCA’s thoughts and prayers are with all the hard-working farm families and everyone in B.C. impacted by the wildfires.

The Canadian Red Cross is Accepting Donations through the British Columbia Fires Appeal. You can text FIRES to 45678 to donate $10 to the fund.