Photo courtesy of Karen Vecchio

Ottawa: June 29, 2010: Tree fruit growers in Grey County, Ontario whose trees were damaged by the August 20, 2009 tornado can receive assistance from the Governments of Canada and Ontario. Up to $985,000 will be made available to help them re-establish their orchards.

"Ontario tree fruit growers are a vital part of the agriculture sector," said federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. :This funding will help them re-establish their orchards and get back into production."

"We recognize how important these tree fruit growers are to Grey County and the province - which is why we are helping them recover from the extraordinary losses of last summer." Carol Mitchell, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

The Ontario Tornado Assistance Initiative, funded under AgriRecovery, provides eligible growers with assistance based on the number of trees that have died as a result of the tornado. Producers have until August 1, 2010 to report their loss to Agricorp.

The Ontario Tornado Assistance Initiative will be delivered by Agricorp and will provide fruit growers with a $45 per tree payment for all trees killed by the effects of the tornado. Affected growers in Grey County can get more information by calling Agricorp at 1-888-247-4999.

Funding for this program has been made available under AgriRecovery, which allows governments to respond when disaster strikes a region and existing programs cannot fully address the situation.