After a natural disaster, AgriRecovery helps producers recover extraordinary costs beyond what is available through other financial assistance programs.

Expanding 2023 livestock drought recovery support

The governments of Canada and Alberta expanded drought livestock assistance eligibility to help producers maintain breeding herds.

The 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance initiative expanded eligibility to 23 new regions and extended the application deadline to February 22. Funding for this joint AgriRecovery initiative is provided through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).

Livestock producers in eligible regions who altered their usual grazing practices due to drought conditions for more than 21 days this season could apply for financial support to cover losses incurred to manage and maintain female breeding animals such as cattle, bison, horses, elk, sheep, goats, alpacas, yak, musk ox, deer, water buffalo and llamas. A minimum of 15 animals per type of livestock were required to qualify.

Read the full release: Expanding 2023 livestock drought recovery support | alberta.ca

Applications for this AgriRecovery initiative are now closed

A note about processing times

Processing and payment of 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance initiative applications is a priority for AFSC. Due to application volumes, clients are asked to wait to contact AFSC regarding status of their application. The AFSC team will reach out to you if additional information is needed.

Please note:

  • If you applied and qualified during the initial application period (October 30, 2023 to January 15, 2024), and additional information is needed for your application, you can expect to hear from AFSC by March 19.
  • If you applied and qualified during the second application period (January 29 to February 22, 2024), and additional information is needed for your application, you can expect to hear from AFSC by April 30.

 

How to Apply

Applications for the extension open Monday, January 29. Participants are strongly encouraged to apply online using AFSC Connect for faster service.

The AFSC Connect online application is an easy, system guided process. Applying online helps immediately identify errors or missing information. It also helps process your application faster. Please note that you will need to complete and submit your application in one session. Individuals who need assistance with applying should contact the AFSC Client Care Centre.

1/ I’m new to AFSC. I do not have an AFSC ID number

If you are not currently an AFSC client, you will need to be set up as a AFSC client to receive an AFSC ID number. Please see the Getting Ready for AgriRecovery webpage to start the process.

2/ I have an AFSC ID number, but I do not have an AFSC Connect account

Producers who are current AFSC clients should ensure they have an AFSC Connect account and are signed up for direct deposit to receive program payments as quickly as possible.

Instructions for creating an AFSC Connect account are available on the AFSC website How to Create, Login, and Update Your AFSC Connect Account.

Instructions for setting up direct deposit for payments are also available on the AFSC website Receiving a Payment from AFSC by Direct Deposit

3/ I have an AFSC number and an AFSC Connect account

Producers who are current AFSC client and have an AFSC Connect account may want to try to log in to ensure they can access their account. If you are having issues logging in, please see Forgot your Password?

 

You may want to gather the following information:

  • Premises ID number
  • AgriStability subscription number
  • Producers who have participated in AgriStability or AgriRecovery previously will have an AgriStability subscription number. If you are unsure, please contact AFSC via Live Chat on AFSC Connect or our website, by calling the Client Care Centre at 1.877.899.2372 or contacting your preferred branch office.
  • The total number of eligible breeding livestock on hand as of December 31, 2023 that you made feeding decisions for from June 1, 2023 onward

Funding for this joint AgriRecovery initiative is cost-shared through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), with the federal government providing $99 million and Alberta’s government providing $66 million. Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) will administer the program.

Sustainable CAP is a five-year program, beginning this year, and includes a $3.5 billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation and resiliency in the agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This investment includes $1 billion in federal programs and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs funded 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially-territorially.

AgriRecovery is a federal-provincial-territorial disaster relief framework to producers with the extraordinary costs associated with recovering from disaster situations. This program is not intended to cover income or production losses, recurring disaster events or replace the need for multi-year strategies to help industries adjust to long-term realities of a disaster. Eligible costs will be supported on the 60/40 federal/provincial cost-shared basis outlined under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.