The MD of Pincher Creek became the latest rural Alberta district to declare a formal municipal agricultural disaster and the 13th to do so in what is shaping up to be a tough harvest season for farmers..Drought conditions impacted 50% to 90% of crops, pasture, and range yields in the MD due to a lack of spring and in-season moisture combined with long durations of high temperatures and winds. .The emergency was declared at a special meeting of council on Aug. 8..In a statement on its web site, the MD said the decision was made after consultation with its Agriculture Fieldman and the Agricultural Service Board.. Drought mapSouthern Alberta is presently one of the driest areas in the country. .The MD will now notify the Alberta government and Agricultural Financial Services Corp. of the declaration..“Municipal declarations do not automatically trigger access to increased funding programs, provincially or federally. It's rather intended to bring attention to other levels of government on where support is needed for producers,” it said..While crops have been hard hit, livestock producers are also in a particularly bad bind, with feed prices exceeding $300 per tonne. According to Agriculture Canada, many have taken to reducing their herds and selling as much as 50% of their livestock..In its weekly report, AgCan said 76% of the country remains under some level of drought with regions south and east of Calgary, from the foothills to Lethbridge, listed as extreme..“Conditions across Alberta this month were extremely variable: southern and northern parts of the province continued to see extreme drought conditions persist, while central Alberta received sufficient monthly precipitation, enough to alleviate much of the remaining drought from the last month,” it said..Other southern Alberta counties and districts with declared agricultural disasters include Willow Creek, Foothills, Paintearth, Vulcan and Cardston. Almost all local watersheds and rivers including the Oldman, Bow, Crowsnest and Castle are near historical low flows — in some cases 50% to 90% below normal — prompting restrictions on water use..In addition to drought, many areas have been plagued by swarms of grasshoppers that are gorging on whatever crops are left..In response, the Alberta and federal governments last week reopened the AgriStability program and extended the April enrolment deadline to Sept. 30..In Alberta, producers sign up for AgriStability and access benefits through the AFSC. Farmers and ranchers are being encouraged to sign up for late participation — even though payments are reduced 20% for latecomers — if they believe they have experienced a significant loss. .Factors such as reduced income, increased expenses or reduced inventory are used to determine a potential benefit..“Our government has listened to farmers and ranchers who have been blindsided by wildfires and drought. We know they need support options to make it through this growing season."."Allowing late participation in AgriStability will enable to them to reassess their business risks and make an informed decision about signing up to protect their operations and livelihoods,” Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson said in a statement.
The MD of Pincher Creek became the latest rural Alberta district to declare a formal municipal agricultural disaster and the 13th to do so in what is shaping up to be a tough harvest season for farmers..Drought conditions impacted 50% to 90% of crops, pasture, and range yields in the MD due to a lack of spring and in-season moisture combined with long durations of high temperatures and winds. .The emergency was declared at a special meeting of council on Aug. 8..In a statement on its web site, the MD said the decision was made after consultation with its Agriculture Fieldman and the Agricultural Service Board.. Drought mapSouthern Alberta is presently one of the driest areas in the country. .The MD will now notify the Alberta government and Agricultural Financial Services Corp. of the declaration..“Municipal declarations do not automatically trigger access to increased funding programs, provincially or federally. It's rather intended to bring attention to other levels of government on where support is needed for producers,” it said..While crops have been hard hit, livestock producers are also in a particularly bad bind, with feed prices exceeding $300 per tonne. According to Agriculture Canada, many have taken to reducing their herds and selling as much as 50% of their livestock..In its weekly report, AgCan said 76% of the country remains under some level of drought with regions south and east of Calgary, from the foothills to Lethbridge, listed as extreme..“Conditions across Alberta this month were extremely variable: southern and northern parts of the province continued to see extreme drought conditions persist, while central Alberta received sufficient monthly precipitation, enough to alleviate much of the remaining drought from the last month,” it said..Other southern Alberta counties and districts with declared agricultural disasters include Willow Creek, Foothills, Paintearth, Vulcan and Cardston. Almost all local watersheds and rivers including the Oldman, Bow, Crowsnest and Castle are near historical low flows — in some cases 50% to 90% below normal — prompting restrictions on water use..In addition to drought, many areas have been plagued by swarms of grasshoppers that are gorging on whatever crops are left..In response, the Alberta and federal governments last week reopened the AgriStability program and extended the April enrolment deadline to Sept. 30..In Alberta, producers sign up for AgriStability and access benefits through the AFSC. Farmers and ranchers are being encouraged to sign up for late participation — even though payments are reduced 20% for latecomers — if they believe they have experienced a significant loss. .Factors such as reduced income, increased expenses or reduced inventory are used to determine a potential benefit..“Our government has listened to farmers and ranchers who have been blindsided by wildfires and drought. We know they need support options to make it through this growing season."."Allowing late participation in AgriStability will enable to them to reassess their business risks and make an informed decision about signing up to protect their operations and livelihoods,” Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson said in a statement.
