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The Bolduc family has been farming and ranching near Stavely, Alta., for generations and this year will be remembered for its scorching heat, lack of rain, parched fields, reduced yields and water restrictions. It's something their family and many others have seen before, but it doesn't make it any easier as they look to harvest whatever they can from their barley, alfalfa and corn fields.
A grain farmer near Fort St. John says he and other growers are struggling as drought conditions continue to impact northeastern B.C., resulting in some of their poorest yields in years. "There was very little crop because everything got dried out," Malcolm Odermatt, a farmer and president of the B.C. Grain Producers Association, told CBC's Betsy Trumpener. "The plants went into survival mode … we're not going to do a big yield. We're just going to get a few seeds. We had absolutely no rain."
Just under two months ago, Elise Walker was sure her farm near the Milk River would experience another summer of drought conditions. But with a cool, rainy spring now in the rearview, things are looking much different. The native prairie has a nice green tinge, she said, and the rain keeps coming. "It makes a huge difference, considering how dry we've been the past 12 months," she told the Calgary Eyeopener Monday.
Steve Donald has one word to sum up the current condition of his southeast Saskatchewan farmyard: "Muck." The 42-year-old grain and cattle farmer near Moosomin, Sask. — just over 200 kilometres east of Regina — says repeated spring snowstorms have delayed seeding on his land. But he's optimistic the extra moisture will provide adequate feed and water for his cattle, and better growing conditions.
It is that time of year when farmers are heading into spring seeding season but Mother Nature still needs to play catch up. What was said to be the biggest snow storm in decades left behind plenty of snow for many southern parts of the province. Now there is more snow on the way and while many people are ready to put winter behind them, farmers are welcoming any extra moisture after last years’ drought.
The deadline has been extended for livestock producers wanting to apply to the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program. The announcement for the temporary enhanced funding came Tuesday from the Canadian and Saskatchewan governments. In a release, the provincial government acknowledged that producers have experienced difficulties in sourcing materials and contractors to build water development projects following 2021’s drought conditions. The program is now adjusted to allow producers who plan to claim more than $50,000 in rebates to submit a preliminary application by Mar. 31, 2022 in order to complete their projects.
Saskatchewan's Ministry of Agriculture announced $119 million in support for cattle producers on Tuesday. The funding is intended to help producers who have faced extra costs, such as accessing water and feed, as a result of the ongoing drought. Funding will also be available to other livestock producers. The support falls under the AgriRecovery program, part of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership agreement. The province is asking the federal government to provide an additional $178 million for the program.
The Alberta government is giving $136 million of financial relief to livestock producers and beekeepers, after drought conditions and the pandemic took a toll on the industry. Premier Jason Kenney said at a press conference on Friday that the money is part of the AgriRecovery program — which combines efforts of the federal and provincial governments. According to a release issued Friday, the federal government agreed to $100 million for immediate relief for Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Alberta.
The proposed water-bottling plant has raised concerns from the High Bar First Nation over the aquifer's long-term sustainability, and has fuelled calls for a moratorium on groundwater bottling licences issued by the province. Greg Crookes, a natural resource manager for the High Bar First Nation, says the community has been in regular talks with the province, each time strongly opposing the plant. "If we say yes to extracting some water now, what's that going to look like 10, 20, or 100 from now?" said Crookes. He says the area only gets about 28 centimetres of precipitation per year, the same figure included in Environment Canada's precipitation records for the years 1981 to 2010. "If they need water, go to the places where the water exists — don't go to some of the driest places in B.C.," he said. "The ranchers need the water, the First Nations need the water, the animals need the water."
