Farmers Struggle getting Crops off the Fields

Early winter & late wet conditions wreak havoc on local farmers

Due to an early winter in October and a wet November, many farmers are struggling to get their crops off their fields. Reeve for the Municipal District (MD) of Bonnyville, Ed Rondeau says he knows of many farmers experiencing this hardship and hasn’t yet heard of the Province stepping in with any relief.

“Pretty much everybody who has some canola is stuck with some canola out there. There’s a few that maybe got lucky and got it all off the fields, but for the most part there’s a lot out there that still have some crops,” Reeve Rondeau says he knows of many farmers in the MD affected by the late fall, early winter conditions. “Normally, when they would’ve harvested mid-August, early September, we didn’t get that season this year; there was very little of it.” October took over with a furry of winter conditions, heading right into a wet November.

“It the weather can turn cold, they’ll still be able to harvest some of [their crops],” Rondeau explains many farmers are stuck between pulling their crops off and hoping they’ll keep or letting the freeze and snow set to hope for the best in the spring. “The odds of it drying and being warm enough to dry are pretty slim. The best odds are that it turns really cold and they can harvest it. The seeds will also freeze in their piles.”

October came & that was a total disaster. It’s been a very, very bad year as far as harvesting is concerned! – Ed Rondeau Reeve for the MD of Bonnyville

The other option, of harvesting now, has its challenges, as well. “If farmers harvest now and they put their crop in a bin or in a bag, it’s going to heat. The losses will be high. Plus, when you try to combine at this time of year, it’s true-wet and it’s not cold enough, everything gets gummed up in the combines and can cause some pretty major repair costs; those are not cheap pieces of equipment.”

Last year farmers experienced drought conditions, so much so that the MD (along with surrounding municipalities and eventually the Province) declared a state of agricultural disaster. Reeve Rondeau says when coupled with last year’s drought, it is definitely a tough time to be a farmer. The Reeve says he hasn’t yet heard of any relief from the Province to help farmers, “I’ve been watching and there doesn’t seem to be anything.” He says it’s a little too soon for the MD to call for a harvesting disaster at this time.

“We’ve probably got the bulk of our harvesting done around here, except for the canola. This is the cash crop for the farmers. They get their feed in and then they harvest their cash crop and they can pay their bills.”

Some of our farmers are going to be in dire needs. – Ed Rondeau Reeve for the MD of Bonnyville

Insurance is another issue, although farmers have that to fall back on, “insurance is going to want the farmers to harvest, come spring, and see what they salvage. It’s going to be tough.”

The Reeve says if you’re affected and you need assistance to contact you local MLA representative who can take your concerns to the Provincial government, “certainly, nothing wrong with contacting your MLA or contacting the Provincial Agricultural Minister or departments to request that they do something.”

Scott Cyr MLA Bonnyville – Cold Lake

Carlier, Oneil, Honourable
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
Office of the Minister

Agriculture and Forestry
229 Legislature Building
10800 – 97 Avenue
Edmonton, AB
T5K 2B6

Phone: 780 427-2137

E-mail: af.minister.m@gov.ab.ca

Here’s an article LCN found that may help farmers:

https://www.realagriculture.com/2016/10/canola-school-harvesting-snow-bound-and-frozen-canola/