The recent dry spell in the area is causing problems for farmers who are dependent upon the weather for their wellbeing.
Randy Robb, a farmer of 50 years in the Berrymoor area, says the crops are suffering due to the lack of moisture and the heat. He says his crops are yielding about a third of what they normally would.
The barley crops in the area aren’t as tall as they should be, either. And they’re ripening faster than usual, meaning that their head isn’t going to be as filled as it should be. This will mean that the crop doesn’t provide the same sustenance as it has in previous years.
“They’re going to be a small kernel, rather than a fat plump kernel, because they have no moisture to fill them out,” he says.
As for hay, Robb says there may not be the same quality of protein in it. They have brought in the hay, and it dried out fast, he says, but that might be a sign of poor quality.
“We’ll figure it out in the winter, I guess,” he says.
He says pastures are drying up fast and the cattle are going to have to be pulled off pasture earlier than usual. Robb says this summer might be okay, but many farmers will be forced to start feeding their cattle early.
Robb says he’s been talking to people at market, and many farmers are selling off cattle because they don’t believe they will have enough feed for them this winter. He says that means that the price will drop so farm incomes will fall. Because of the poorer quality of feed, the cattle are going to have less quality meat on them as well.
“Barley prices are usually around $4-5 per bushel, down in Lethbridge it’s now over $8,” he says.
“We’re getting hit from both directions again,” he says.
Robb says he believes there will be lots of insurance claims this year, with crop yields being so low. He says the problem with that, though, is that the insurance pool for farmers is only so much, and they will be looking to pay as little as possible.
He says the dry weather is going to lead to higher food costs for everyone in the area.
Right now, he says he has hay left over from last year, so he thinks he’ll be okay. But some farmers, he says, don’t think that paying $700 on food alone for a cow that will bring in $800 is going to be worth it. Especially because that only covers the cost of the food itself, not the actual labour of feeding the animals.
During the period of near record heat, Robb says they had to make sure that the cattle had water. He says he’s had to switch dugouts to draw from because they are much lower than they should be.
Jon Safronovich is running a 1,400 acre farm along with his brothers that has been in his family for a couple of generations. He says the drought has affected their yields, but thankfully they have enough hay for themselves.
“I have noticed that a lot of the local guys that are bigger are looking for hay,” he says.
Those with larger operations will have to buy more feed this year, and the price is increasing. Safronovich says he and his brothers have already been approached about selling hay.
Because they downsized their cattle operation five years ago, the brothers only have thirty cattle to feed this winter, leaving them in a better place than many, says Safronovich.
“We’ve been fortunate that way,” he says.
In a good year, they can generally get about 1,400 bales, says Safronovich. This year they are looking at a loss of about forty-eight percent. Some neighbours, he says, are looking at a sixty-six percent loss this year.
As it is, Safronovich says they have quite a few people that are putting their name on the list to get hay from the farm.
Right now Safronovich says the price of hay has gone up about ten cents a pound. “That puts a bale at about $110 – $150, which is ridiculously expensive,” he says.
Like Robb, Safronovich has also heard that many farmers will be getting rid of cattle.
“They’re figuring about thirty percent of our cattle stock in Western Canada is going to hit the market right away,” he says.
He says this is due partially to lack of feed for the winter, but also that some pastures are done and some farmers are looking at feeding their cattle.
“Usually we can pasture them right into October or November. You move them into your hay lands if you can,” he says.
But he says anyone that has a large amount of cattle will struggle this year. “It’s been scary,” he says.
“We’re lucky because we’re a large operation with a small amount of animals, but I know others that aren’t so lucky,” says Safronovich.
