In order to maximize the opportunity for impacted producers to be aware of and access programs that may apply to their individual situations I am including the following notices – if you were impacted please review, if you know of someone who was impacted please share with them, if neither of these apply to you please disregard.
The aim of the initiative is to assist agricultural producers with compensation for extraordinary expenses necessary for recovery, enabling farms and ranches to return to production as quickly as possible.
Areas of assistance include:
Extraordinary expenses related to ensuring animal health and safety;
Feed, shelter and transportations costs;
Costs to repair or replace critical infrastructure not covered by insurance;
Contributions towards the re-establishment of tame perennial forage, damaged by the fires.
Farmers and Ranchers are encouraged to contact the Business Risk Management Branch for further details. Dedicated personnel are in place to assist producers with the application process, as well as verifying damages, losses and the arrangements for payments. Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to register before the deadline even if they may feel their impacts may be manageable at this point. There could be surprises that come along after the registration deadline that producers who have not registered for AgriRecovery would become ineligible to claim for (e.g. If FLNRO Range Staff were to decide after Jan 31st that they needed to refuse grazing on range tenures in 2018).
Contact Details:
Telephone: 1 888 332 3352 (Toll Free)
Fax: 1 250 861 7490
Email: AGRIRECOVERYWILDFIREINITIATIVE@gov.bc.ca
Website: Canada-BC Wildfire Recovery
Mail: BC Wildfires Recovery Initiative for 2017-18
Business Risk Management Branch
200, 1690 Powick Road
Kelowna, BC V1X 7G5
This is a new program to assist eligible agricultural producers affected by this year’s wildfires to better understand the impacts on their current production and financial situation, and enable them to implement a recovery plan over the near and long-terms.
The Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program will provide access to up to $5,000 for services such as basic financial analysis, specialized business planning and coaching services. The program also includes the customized B.C. Wildfire Recovery for Agriculture Workbook to help producers with their recovery planning. There are a limited number of hardcopy workbooks being printed for producers with internet access issues. They will be available by request from the Kamloops Ph: 250-828-4506 and Williams Lake Ph: 250-398-45 Agriculture offices.
For more information, please visit the Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program website.
The Canadian Red Cross Support to Small Businesses Program in partnership with the Government of B.C. is providing additional financial and other assistance to eligible small business owners, cultural livelihoods that support First Nations communicates, and not-for-profit organizations impacted by the 2017 wildfires. This additional financial assistance is to provide support for uninsured financial losses as a result of interrupted business operations, due to the wildfires. The amount of financial assistance provided to eligible businesses will be based on their individual needs, which will be determined through the application process.
- Phase 2 application period is open online until April 6, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). If you didn’t register the business for Phase 1 of the program, you can still apply for assistance in Phase 2
- FAQs
Minimum requirements to apply
End of Notice
Lavona Liggins │ Regional Agrologist Hwy 16 East
BC Ministry of Agriculture │ p:250-614-7438 │cell: 250-565-5280
1-888-221-7141 │ AgriServiceBC@gov.bc.ca