The Efficient Grain Dryer Program helps cover costs for grain dryer improvements
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry along with the federal government have introduced a new grain dryer grant.
The two governments have committed a total of $2 million under the Efficient Grain Dryer Program to help farmers who struggled during the 2019 harvest.
“Last harvest was one of the toughest for Alberta farmers,” Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s ag minister, said in a Feb. 10 statement. “Poor weather, trade irritants, rail strikes and a carbon tax have all hurt farmers through no fault of their own. This new program will help farmers remain competitive and keep producing the best high-quality food in the world.”
The program, funded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, will help cover costs associated with grain dryer improvements. Applicants will have the flexibility to choose the equipment that fits their farm’s needs.
Eligible expenses will be cost-shared at a 50/50 ratio between the grant and the applicant.
The program is retroactive to April 1, 2018 to accommodate nearly 100 farmers who have been waiting since then, as well as producers who have purchased eligible equipment within the last two years.
“We all know how hard 2019 was for many farmers, and that weather is increasingly unpredictable,” Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canada’s federal ag and agri-food minister, said in the statement. “Our government is listening and finding solutions for farmers.”
Details on how to apply to the program weren’t available as of Monday afternoon.
Farms.com has reached out to grain producers for comment.