"Since August, Hay West has shipped 5.6 million pounds of hay from the Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario to farmers in need," said federal Agriculture Minister Marie Claude Bibeau in making the announcement.
That feed has gone to help feed 17,000 cattle, according to the CFA, but more will be required to minimize long-term impacts from the drought.
Hay will likely keep moving into the spring.
Farm Credit Canada, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Prince Edward Island government have also contributed support.
Canadian National Railway has committed $125,000 to Hay West in addition to matching donations up to another $125,000.
Hay West began in the 1990s, in 2012 it was reversed to Hay East and now the hay is feeding cattle on drought-stressed farms on the Prairies.
Why is Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government not contributing? His caucus is mainly MPPs representing rural Ontario ridings.
