Prairie Weather (Rural Roots Canada) – Marble-to-baseball-sized hail battered farmers’ fields across the Prairies at the start of August, with pulse crops the hardest hit, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association. 

“Pulse crops will generally see the highest paid losses, as they are close or ready to be harvested, especially pea crops,” said Darryl Tiefenbach, with Co-operative Hail Insurance.

Hail of that size can wreak havoc with crops like lentils, peas, dry beans, and chickpeas.

There were almost 1,200 crop damage claims from storms occurring the week of August 3-9. The CCHA reminds farmers to leave adequate representation of the crop in the field if they plan to harvest or salvage a damaged crop before adjustment.

Regional Breakdown of Storm Damage

Alberta

Crops damaged: Barley, Canola, Chickpeas, Corn, Dry Beans, Flax, Hemp, Lentils, Mustard, Oats, Peas, Potatoes, Rye, Sugarbeets, Timothy, Tritcale, Wheat

Communities impacted: Airdrie, Athabasca, Beiseker, Big Valley, Boyle, Brant, Byemoor, Cayley, Champion, Chestermere, Colinton, Coutts, Dapp, Dayton, Diamond Valley, Donnelly, Etzikom, Foremost, Fort Assiniboine, Grassland, Gwynne, Hardisty, Hemaruka, Herronton, High Prairie, Innisfree, Irricana, Jarvie, Josephburg, Kinsella, Lougheed, Longview, Lyalta, Manyberries, Michichi, Milk River, Morecambe, Munson, Myrnam, Nanton, St. Michael, Sylvan Lake, Taber, Two Hills, Venice, Vulcan, Wrentham

Saskatchewan

Crops damaged: Barley, Canola, Chickpeas, Flax, Lentils, Peas, Wheat

Communities impacted: Abbey, Alameda, Bateman, Bengough, Big Beaver, Bridgeford, Bromhead, Burstall, Cabri, Carrot River, Central Butte, Chaplin, Coderre, Colgate, Consul, Davidson, Edam, Foam Lake, Frobisher, Gladmar, Goodwater, Gravelbourg, Halbrite, Halton, Hendon, Lake Alma, Longbank, Lancer, Lawson, Liebenthal, Mankota, Maple Creek, Mawer, Melville, Mervin, Midale, Minton, North Battleford, Oxbow, Pennant, Regway, Saskatoon, Shackleton, Shamrock, Stewart Valley, Stoughton, Success, Swift Current, Sybouts, Tugaske, Turtleford, Vidora, and Wapella.

Manitoba 

Crops damaged: Alfalfa Seed, Canola, Cereals, Soybeans

Communities impacted: Boissevain, Glenboro, Goodlands, Holmfield, Killarney, Lena, Medora, Morden, New Bothwell, Oakbank, Stanley, Waskada.

Compare to last report: Hail Crop Damage Reducer Overall Despite Severe Storms on Prairies