Producers can contact Keli Paddon if they need help
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A member of the B.C. legislature is helping producers access flood recovery funding.
Kelli Paddon, who represents the riding of Chilliwack-Kent, says anyone can contact her office for help applying for the Canada-BC Flood Recovery Program.
“Understanding where to even start can be a challenge,” she said, The Chilliwack Progress reported. “I wanted to make sure it was clear that anyone who wasn’t in touch or connected with the ministry (of agriculture) yet could contact their MLA’s office.”
The federal and provincial governments announced the $228-million program last week to help farmers recover and support food security.
Farmers who receive support from the program can use the money for land restoration, recovery costs, livestock transportation and more.
“The unprecedented November flooding had profound impacts on our agricultural community and has resulted in the largest agricultural recovery response in B.C.’s history,” Lana Popham, B.C.’s minister of agriculture, said in a Feb. 7 statement announcing the funding.
Members of the Official Opposition in the B.C. legislature welcome the funding for producers.
But it shouldn’t have taken this long to get the funding in place, said Ian Paton, the Liberal critic for agriculture and food.
“Anytime as a farmer myself that government steps up with $228 million to help out farmers that have been effected by the floods is obviously a good thing,” he said, the Delta Optimist reported. “I’m happy to hear that, but the caveat of that is why did it take three months for this to take place?” People are still not back in their houses, equipment can’t be used, so they are waiting for money to re-build and re-tool their farms, so it has been very slow happening.”
Farmers may encounter red tape during the application process, Paton said, adding checking in with farmers in a few months will be a true test of how quickly the funding is being distributed.