Material supply chain issues involving dairy cattle feed grains have occurred due to recent flood and weather events rendering major highways and railways inaccessible or having their access significantly constrained.
During this time, companies that provide feed materials and nutrition services to dairy farms in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island regions of British Columbia have taken measures to source concentrates and to transport them to the region at a significant cost increase over what is typically experienced.
Further, in the spirit of cooperation and animal welfare, feed suppliers have agreed to share materials to the extent possible to ensure that all dairy farmers can feed their cattle to agreed upon industry-wide levels and to avoid disparity between farms.
In response to these issues, the British Columbia Dairy Association (BC Dairy), the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries and all suppliers of dairy feed and materials operating in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island regions of British Columbia have collaborated to develop the temporary Feed Cost Differential Program (FCDP). The goal of the Program is to ensure that BC dairy cattle are returned to full rations of dairy concentrates as soon as possible, and at no additional cost to BC dairy producers.
Under the Program, dairy farmers will pay their “normalized” price for feed materials delivered to their farms and the Program will compensate companies providing feed to dairy farmers, or dairy farmers who have sourced their own feed, for increased costs incurred between November 17th, 2021 and December 1st, 2021, as a result of sourcing grains at spot market prices, sourcing and using food quality grains to feed livestock, extraordinary trucking and logistics costs and other eligible expenses.
Any company selling concentrates / feed ingredients to dairy farms, or dairy farmers sourcing their own ingredients directly, in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island regions of British Columbia may be eligible for funding under this program.
BC Dairy will initially pay all costs associated with administering the Program, including initial reimbursement of eligible claims. BC Dairy will reconcile all Program costs and submit such costs to the Ministry for reimbursement, including all costs associated with funding claims under the Program.
BC Dairy gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.
