Nearly $225 million ISK in grants for farmers after harsh winter in Iceland’s North

Iceland’s Disaster Relief Fund has distributed nearly 225 million ISK ($1.6 million CAD) in grants to 89 farmers affected by the unusually cold 2023-2024 winter weather in northern Iceland.

The amount represents 80 per cent of the total expected payout, slated for those affected by the severe conditions, the country’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture said in a statement on Thursday.

In total, 121 applications were submitted.

Thirty-two of those were deemed ineligible due to lower-than-required damages, where less than 25 per cent of the agricultural land was affected or damages were 500,000 ISK ($3,600 CAD) or lower.

The remaining 60 million ISK (430,000 CAD) in the fund is expected to be distributed soon, covering the last of the anticipated payouts. The fund’s overall budget of 300 million ISK ($2.1 million CAD) will be fully used, including contributions from both the budget reserve and the Disaster Relief Fund’s general budget appropriations.

Missing data expected end of January

Iceland’s public broadcaster RUV reports that the winter of 2023-2024 was one of the coldest in recent memory, with conditions particularly harsh in the North of Iceland.

Farmers and the agriculture sector were particularly hard hit by the long stretches of cold and heavy snow.

In addition to the ongoing payouts, the Disaster Relief Fund is also reviewing additional damage caused by the spring of 2023 cold snap.

The process has been delayed because some data is still missing, but it’s expected to be ready by the end of January.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is handling the assessment.

Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca

Related stories from around the North: 

Canada: Insured evacuation costs, wildfire damages total $60M for Hay River wildfires, CBC News

United States: Residents in Alaska capital clean up swamped homes after an ice dam burst and unleashed a flood, The Associated Press