The trailers will be stationed in the Lower Mainland and East Kootenays
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Government of B.C. photo
Livestock producers in parts of British Columbia will have access to emergency trailers.
The provincial government is deploying two mobile emergency livestock trailers to support farmers during challenging times.
“B.C. agricultural producers continue to demonstrate their resilience and strength during extreme weather events and emergencies,” Lana Popham, B.C.’s minister of agriculture and food, said in a statement. “These new mobile livestock emergency response trailers will have the supplies producers need during critical times to ensure they have access to the necessary tools and equipment to take care of their animals and keep them safe.”
One trailer will be in the Lower Mainland and the other in the East Kootenays. The trailer in the Lower Mainland will have more of an equine focus.
Each trailer is equipped with livestock rescue supplies including horse and cow halters, sorting and corral panels and other tools. A first aid kit, fire extinguisher and other items will also be on board to support producers.
The Emergency Livestock Response Committee is overseeing the pilot project.
The committee includes reps from the BC Cattlemen’s Association, Horse Council BC, the BC Association of Cattle Feeders and AgSafe BC.
The committee formed in 2018 after B.C. RCMP Livestock Coordinator Cpl. Cory Lepine returned from Alberta where he participated in a course on large animal emergency response.
“He came back and inspired us as industry reps to look into this seriously, and so we did,” Bob Miller, chair of the committee, told the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. “It’s been five years in the planning and putting forward a funding proposal to government that we finally received this past spring.”
The federal government contributed to the project too.
B.C. isn’t the only province with mobile livestock emergency trailers.
Alberta has 18, Alberta Farm and Animal Care’s website says.
Sask Pork has four of its own and Manitoba has two.