COUNTY OF ST. PAUL, AB – The County of St. Paul declared a local State of Agricultural Disaster due to wet conditions and excessive moisture affecting local farmers. The declaration was made during the July 28 Council Meeting.

County Council is aware of the hardships facing agricultural producers due to the extremely wet weather conditions and frequent storms over the past few weeks. Council recognizes that communities have been affected differently, from the north to the east ends, with varying impacts on seeding, crop growth and field access.

According to the Government of Alberta’s 2026 precipitation reports for the growing season, between June 3 and July 15, the St. Paul region was experiencing a less-than-once-in-50-years level of precipitation. This level of saturation has affected seeding progress and crop growth.

Based on the July 28 Crop Report, at the time of the declaration, 47 per cent of major crops in the Northeast region were rated good-to-excellent, falling below the historical five-year average.

An Agricultural Disaster Declaration is used by municipalities to bring awareness to issues that are impacting agricultural production. Municipal declarations do not automatically trigger access to increased funding programs, provincially or federally.

The last time the County of St. Paul declared an Agricultural Disaster was August 12, 2025, due to dry weather and drought conditions.

To assist in the decision to declare, the County of St. Paul referenced the Rural Municipalities of Alberta’s A Guide for Declaring Municipal Agricultural Disasters in Alberta. This tool looks not only at current conditions but also at past experiences and evolving conditions that have impacted agricultural production and crop yields. It also provides background on the role that various levels of government play during a declaration of disaster.