BACKGROUND

Post Tropical Storm Dorian struck Prince Edward Island on September 7th and 8th, 2019.  According to the UPEI Climatology Lab, Dorian amounted to a 1 in 100 weather event. It inflicted widespread damage to corn and apple crops across PEI. Dorian came after a volatile growing season that began with a cold spring and dry summer, and the storm was followed by two frosts in mid September. This is exacerbated by the fact that forage crops on the Island were sparse and insufficient to sustain many livestock herds located across the Province.  AgriRecovery is a Federal/Provincial Government program designed to help farmers recoup “extraordinary” costs that result from a non-reoccurring event that has caused damage to one commodity or another across the entire Province. Extraordinary costs do not include yield, but focus on costs one would not incur in a normal harvesting year such as extra time, wear and tear on the equipment and costs of that nature. The PEIFA is leading a Working Group made up of corn, livestock and apple producers seeking AgriRecovery funding.  In order for the program to be triggered, and application must first come from the Provincial Government to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. PEIFA and the effected commodities are working with the Province to collect data from producers and will be releasing a survey for this information in February 2020.  

POSITION

The PEIFA has requested that the Province apply for AgriRecovery Funding and is working hard to ensure an application goes to Ottawa in the spring of 2020 that will successfully provide much needed funding for commodities greatly affected by Post Tropical Storm Dorian.  

SUBMISSIONS/PRESENTATIONS