The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre (RDOS EOC) is sharing that in order to assist farmers and ranchers with displaced commercial livestock, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Fisheries (MOAFF), with support from Emergency Management BC (EMBC), has developed an Emergency Feed Program to provide up to 14 days of hay to qualified farm operations.  

The EMBC Wildfire 2021 Emergency Feed Program is meant to provide feed for commercial livestock businesses in situations where due to wildfire and related activities:

a)       They cannot access their normal forage/feed supply; and

b)       In order to keep their livestock safe, they are forced to use forage or feed resources that are normally required to feed livestock through the rest of their yearly production style. 

This support is intended for the approved 14-day timeframe to provide the farm business with time to find alternatives while supporting immediate livestock health and welfare without depleting fall/winter feed.

This program is not a feed supply program to address drought conditions.

For more information, please visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/programs/embc-wildfire-2021-emergency-feed-program

Questions regarding program eligibility, and how to apply may be directed to the RDOS EOC at 250-490-4225.

Issued by EOC Director