Canadian Prairies (Rural Roots Canada) – With harvest getting underway, farmers across the Prairies continue to deal with crop damage from scattered hailstorms, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA).
“Storm activity over the last two weeks has been minimal,” said Darryl Tiefenbach, with the Co-Operative Hail Insurance Company. “There has been minimal rain as well during this time, and that’s having a negative effect on head and pod filling in discussions I have had with producers over the last few weeks.”
“Hopefully there will be some moisture relief in the near future.”
CCHA member companies investigated more than 1,300 crop damage claims from storms during the first half of August, with the majority of the claims coming from Alberta.
“This year’s storm season is a bit unprecedented,” said George Kueber, Claims Adjusting Manager for Agriculture Financial Service Corporation in Lacombe, Alberta. “We haven’t had claims volumes like this since 2016,” Kueber said.
In southern Saskatchewan, peas, lentils, fall rye, winter wheat, and some early-seeded cereals are being harvested.
“With harvest now underway and improved access to fields, adjusters are able to complete claims more efficiently each day,” said Scott McQueen, with Palliser Insurance. “This is helping ensure farmers receive timely claim settlements and can continue harvesting with minimal interruption.”
Regional Breakdown of Storm Damage
Alberta
Crops damaged: alfalfa, barley, beans, cabbage, canola, carrots, chickpeas, corn, faba bean, flax, hemp, lentils, market garden, mustard, oats, onions, peas, potatoes, rye, soybeans, squash, sugar beets, timothy, triticale and wheat
Communities impacted: Acme, Balzac, Beiseker, Benalto, Blackie, Bluesky, Caroline, Cayley, Chancellor, Champion, Chin, Claresholm, Coaldale, Cremona, Crossfield, Deep Creek, Diamond City, Didsbury, Donalda, Ensign, Fairview, Granum, Green Court, Hemaruka, High River, Hussar, Irricana, Iron Springs, Joffre, Lacombe, Lomond, Madden, Morinville, Mossleigh, Nobleford, North-Calgary, Picture Butte, Raven, Readymade, Rockyford, Sangudo, Shaughnessy, Spruce View, Standard, Vegreville, Vulcan, Waskatenau, Westward Ho, Worsley, Wrentham.
Saskatchewan
Crops damaged: barley, canola, corn, lentils, peas and wheat
Communities impacted include: Alameda, Bienfait, Carlyle, Neilburg, Oxbow, Rockglen, Shell Lake
Manitoba
Crops damaged: cereals, corn, canola, soybeans, peas and flax
Communities impacted: Brandon, Dugrost, Souris
Crops damaged: barley, canola, corn, lentils, peas and wheat
Read more: Prairie Weather This Week – Midweek Update Aug. 20
