(Rural Roots Canada) – Severe storms across the Prairies pummeled crops with pea- to golf-ball-size hail according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA).

In all, some 1,340 crop damage claims were filed with CCHA member companies from August 12-18. The most severe hail hit farms across Saskatchewan.

The last few weeks have seen a number of storms blow through the Prairies, damaging crops and slowing down the harvest. Rodney Schoettler with Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance is asking for patience are insurers work through the claims.

“We are asking farmers to be patient as the number of claims has increased significantly in the last few weeks,” said Schoettler, Saskatchewan “August is typically a lower-hail event month.”

Regional Breakdown of Storm Damage 

Alberta

Crops damaged: Alfalfa, wheat, barley, corn, oats, dry beans, onions, canola, fababeans, flax, lentils, mustard, peas, potatoes, rye, Timothy, sugarbeets, triticale

Communities impacted: Milk River, Taber, Bow Island, Claresholm, Champion, Cayley, Bowden, Craigmyle, Alliance, Provost, Calmar, Hay Lakes, Mundare, Elk Point, Fairview, Nampa

Saskatchewan

Crops damaged: Wheat, barley, lentils, peas, canola, soybeans, and several other crops

Communities impacted: Bethune, Central, Butte, Clavet, Colonsay, Davidson, Dinsmore, Duck Lake, Hudson Bay, Ituna, Kelliher, Laird, Landis, Langenburg, Loreburn, Melfort, Moosomin, Regina, Rosetown, Saskatoon, Shellbrook, Swift Current, Wadena, Wakaw, Wilkie, Yorkton 

Manitoba

Crops damaged: Wheat, canola, corn, soybeans, peas, cereal crops, corn, canola, edible beans

Communities impacted: Virden, Elkhorn, Reston, Cromer, Mcauley, Kola, Russell

For more information and to view past reports, you can visit the CCHA website.

COMPARE TO LAST REPORT: Hail Report: Crop Damage Claims Climb in Wake of Summer Storms