Flood-damaged communities among those that host Viterra’s grain elevators or other operations in North America have more time to apply for a piece of a $100,000 support fund.
Viterra in late June rolled out its $100,000 North American Flood Assistance Program with an application deadline of Monday (Aug. 15). On Thursday, however, the company extended that deadline to Sept. 15.
The program is designed to provide “community-based” flood assistance to communities affected by this spring’s flooding in Western Canada and the U.S.
The company said its program is “geared towards helping the communities in which the Company is located (to) restore infrastructure, equipment and community services.”
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Projects, to be eligible, must benefit “entire communities,” the company said, and grant applications are to be assessed on “the quality of the lasting community benefit.”
“Despite the fact that the vast majority of western Canadian producers are off to a very promising start, a number of communities in southeast Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, North Dakota and the U.S. Midwest have been impacted by spring flooding,” company CEO Mayo Schmidt said in June.
“While we work to optimize the crop invesments of farmers who are having a great season, we also commit to doing what we can to support those communities that have been affected by the recent flooding.”
The company in March also rolled out an expansion to its Viterra Community Fund in Australia, earmarking an additional $75,000 for flood recovery projects in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales.
That fund, operating in Australia since 2006, usually provides grants for education and training, health, youth development and “community amenity” projects.
