HayEast 2012 received a major boost recently thanks to Ontario and federal government funding to help transport donated hay from western Canada to eastern Canadian farmers in need.
The governments committed $500,000, provided on a cost-shared basis. They will also match cash donations made to HayEast 2012 on a cost-shared basis up to $2.5 million.
HayEast 2012 is a partnership involving farm organizations across Canada.
The program is a follow-up to the HayWest program that saw thousands of eastern Canadian farmers send forages to Western Canada in 2002 to help alleviate the effects of that region’s drought.
Now, farmers in some parts of Eastern Canada are the ones in need, and their Western Canadian counterparts are eager to reciprocate the good will.
“This is excellent News for the hundreds of farmers who have applied to receive hay through the HayEast 2012 program,” said Mark Wales, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).
Ontario farmers affected by the summer’s drought have requested more than 60,000 bales of hay to sustain livestock through the winter. It began arriving last month.
Farmers in need of forage must apply to the program for consideration. Program details are available at www.hayeast2012.com.
