Province and feds team up to help farmers survive dry, hot summer

A field north of Fort Macleod, Alta. with crops turning white due to heat stress. (File photo)

CALGARY -

The province and federal government announced adjustments to crop insurance Thursday that will allow farmers to put more poor quality crops towards livestock feed in a bid to ease feed shortages for livestock during the drought.

That's in response to a significant deterioration in crops since mid-June, when dry, extremely hot conditions settled over the prairies. Conditions are not improving, and crops are expected to deteriorate further.

The adjustment encourages farmers to salvage their crops to use for livestock feed, rather than watching their fields deteriorate further.

Low Yield Allowance is a standard part of the production insurance program, and is meant for situations of extreme heat and severe drought.

Alberta is doubling the low yield threshold to allow for more cereal or pulse crops to be saved for livestock feed. For example, the barley crop threshold will be increased from 150 to 300 kg per acre.

“Alberta’s hardworking farmers and ranchers have been hit with dry conditions that threaten their livelihoods," said Alberta agriculture and forestry minister Devin Dreeshen in a release. "We will do everything we can to help Alberta’s agriculture industry make the best of a terrible situation. We’ve heard industry’s call for help, and this change will help farmers and ensure some good can come out of these crops.”

Under the federal-provincial cost-shared Canadian Agricultural Partnership, there are a number of business risk management programs available through Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) to help Alberta producers manage risks that threaten their farms, including crop insurance.

“We recognize that this year’s conditions have had a significant impact on our producers, "said Darryl Kay, the CEO of the Agricultural Financial Services Corporation."And we’ve been here to listen, take feedback, and mobilize our teams as quickly and efficiently as possible.”