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Feds to ranchers: help is coming for herds quarantined over bovine TB

Last Updated Dec 1, 2016 at 7:05 am MDT

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay says the government will provide up to $16.7 million to help western ranchers caught in the bovine TB quarantine.

MacAulay told the House of Commons the money is meant to help cover the extra costs they are facing because of the quarantine, which prevents them from selling their stock.

He says the aid will help with feed for the animals, transportation, cleaning and disinfection as well as interest costs on loans.

Ranches in Alberta and Saskatchewan have been caught by the quarantine, which began after American agriculture officials notified the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that tuberculosis had been detected in a cow from Alberta when it was slaughtered in the U.S.
Ranchers have been pleading for government help ever since.

MacAulay says governments will work with the industry and producers to ensure that the assistance meets the needs and that the money flows simply and quickly.