The BC Dairy Association (BC Dairy) has gratefully accepted more than $350,000 to-date in donations to help dairy farmers affected by the ongoing flooding emergency.
As of 10 am November 30 donations include:
- A total of $155,030 in donations by members of the public and supportive companies through BC Dairy’s emergency recovery fund and a GoFundMe account set up by a Maple Ridge resident and dairy farmer.
- $100,000 from WestGen, a farming genetics company.
- $100,000 from Agrifoods, a provider of quality dairy and food products and services.
On top of cash donations, Gay Lea Foods donated 24,000 kg of calf feed – an entire shipping container full, produced in Ontario and shipped to affected BC farms. In addition, a number of community groups and churches have come together to help provide meals and volunteer labour for impacted farmers.
“The remarkable support we have received from the community and partners has been overwhelming, and helped keep us going through some very challenging days,” says Holger Schwichtenberg, BC Dairy chair and a dairy farmer in Agassiz. “Our commitment is that we will ensure every last dollar directly supports dairy farmers who have been affected by the flooding. We are all so grateful.”
Once the worst of the flooding emergency is over, it will be determined how to best distribute the financial contributions. The association is committed to ensuring every dollar directly supports dairy farmers impacted by flooding. At the peak of flooding 62 dairy farms home to about 23,000 cattle in the Abbotsford area were under evacuation order. Farmers and volunteers evacuated about 6,000 cattle to farms not experiencing flooding, where they are being cared for. About 16,000 cattle remained on the flooded farms, while about 500 succumbed to the flooding. Significant quantities of feed and equipment have been destroyed, and numerous barns, homes, and other buildings flooded. Efforts to ensure all the cattle are fed and cared for continue.
“We are still in the thick of this emergency, working together to care for cattle and support affected farmers and their families,” says Schwichtenberg. “We are tired, but are pressing on and seeing improvements every day.”
Media Contact
Shawn Hall
shawn@apogeepr.ca
604-619-7913
About BC Dairy Association
BC Dairy is a not-for-profit association that represents BC’s 470 dairy farmers. The association supports the growth and long-term business success of BC’s dairy farms. BC Dairy represents BC in a strong national dairy system committed to providing Canada with high quality, responsibly farmed, healthy dairy products. BC Dairy takes direction from a Board of elected and appointed dairy producer representatives, and is operated by a staff team.