Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – Three Alberta municipalities have declared agricultural disasters after excess precipitation, flooding and extreme heat damaged crops.

The declarations include Beaver County in the province’s northeast region, Thorhild County in the northwest, and Wetaskiwin County in the central region.

The declarations come as many Prairie producers continue to deal with the effects of an unusually wet growing season. After years in which drought dominated agricultural concerns in Alberta, excessive moisture has emerged as one of this year’s biggest challenges.

Heavy rainfall has left fields saturated in many areas, with prolonged flooding in some of the hardest-hit locations. Flooded and waterlogged fields have also prevented producers from getting sprayers and other equipment into fields during critical stages of the growing season, delaying field operations.

In recent years, multiple municipalities have declared states of emergency over drought-like conditions.

An agricultural disaster declaration begins with a municipality assessing local growing conditions using crop reports, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) data, and input from agricultural field staff. Municipalities document the extent of damage caused by events such as drought, flooding or excessive moisture before deciding whether to declare a disaster. The declaration is intended to raise awareness and support communication among producers, industry and governments, but does not automatically trigger provincial or federal financial assistance, which is considered through separate government processes.

Read our latest Prairie Weather update: Prairie Weather This Week – midweek update July 23