Plans are being made to deal with the thousands of livestock that have died as a result of disastrous flooding across the southern half of B.C., Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said during a flood update from the province on Monday (Nov. 22).
“We’re working closely with the agricultural associations to understand their needs and to we’re also working with local government on capacity in landfills and possible incineration areas,” Popham said.
Last week, she said that hundreds of farms have been affected by the flooding, including in Sumas Prairie, a section of Abbotsford that has been trying to fight off waters from the Nooksack River in the U.S. for several days. Popham said that thousands of animals had likely died and still others would have to be euthanized on farms across the province.
However, with more atmospheric rivers expected across B.C., the agriculture minister said that removing livestock remains not a top priority at the moment.
“We’re currently seeing too much water to really addressed that part right now,” she said. “But the temperatures are cool and so we’ve got a bit of time to try and get that going.”
READ MORE: Thousands of animals, livestock have perished in B.C.’s historic flooding: Agriculture Minister
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