Czar Rodeo
©Provost News Photo
Finally. The rains fell on farmers’ crops and pastures in the area a day after the provincial government announced drought disaster aid.
The extreme dry conditions and lack of significant precipitation during May prompted the province to declare a drought disaster and respond to livestock producers with assistance of $4 per acre through the Native Forage Component of the Farm Income Assistance Program 2001 (FIAP 2001).
The province had been suffering from a lack of moisture not seen for more than 130 years.
Local farmer Norbert Holzinger of Hayter who had been keeping track of rainfall at his farmyard recorded four tenths of one inch “for all of May.” Even though he got two and one half tenths of an inch over the weekend five miles east of Provost he adds “we need two to three inches to have hay and grow crops.” The rain over the weekend is “a good start” for his wheat, oats and barley crops.
Below normal precipitation in late summer, fall and winter did not replenish moisture reserves and lack of spring rainfall and high winds have increased the problem. Livestock producers across most of the province are dealing with poor pasture growth and very low to dry dugout levels.
“This is a critical issue across the entire province and many producers are being forced to sell off their herds," said Shirley McClellan, Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. “It takes years to build up a herd. To be forced to sell off your cows because you can’t feed them is absolutely devastating for farmers.”
Since March 1, more than 80,000 cow/calf pairs have been sold off from farmers’ herds, according to the provincial government.
Bob Specht, who operates a feedlot south of Provost told The News that some ranchers have sold off some animals previously but some other animals are being trucked out to greener pastures such as at northern Saskatchewan, Drayton Valley or High Level. Specht however says he will be good for another month before it’s serious at his operation as they already have a feeding plan in place. Some local ranchers that are relying on dugouts for water may have to haul water to their cattle in tanks if more rain is not coming soon, Specht said on Saturday morning before the rain came. The rancher, who feeds approximately 2500 head still has good pastures but says next year could be crucial because reserves are being used up. But if it rains in June all this will be forgotten he adds. If the rains don’t come “then we could be in trouble.”
Don Hoberg who farms with Luther and John Hoberg five miles south of Provost says he knows of only one rancher in the Bodo area who has had to sell off cattle because of the drought. The pasture land “is pretty grim” says Hoberg and adds that the $4 per acre announced by the government “will help a guy buy feed—if we can find hay to buy.” They look after 125 cows and says they have a dugout in one pasture but may have to drill a well in another pasture in a month or so. There isn’t much water nearby their operation now either: “there isn’t a slough in the country out our way. I haven’t seen it that bad . . . it’s kind of scary. Hobergs have also experienced a lot of blowing land like other farmers and they may have to re-seed some areas because the seed has blown away. Grasshoppers are also starting to appear on their land.
The severe drought is threatening to impact a $7.3 billion primary agricultural industry in Alberta of which livestock accounts for 60 percent.
Alberta has 40 percent of the Canadian beef cow herd and more than 65 percent of Canada’s beef cattle are finished in Alberta.
At Czar Richard Charlton welcomes the government drought assistance and points out that the Europeans are heavily subsidized and there are also some subsidies in the United States. At the family operation they have about half of their breeding stock away from home with cattle at Loon Lake and Cando, Sask. because it’s cheaper for them to take the cattle to where there is feed instead of having the feed brought to Czar. Charlton says he does not anticipate having to sell off cattle because of the lack of rain because of the good pasture conditions in Saskatchewan. He doesn’t know of anyone selling off their herd because of the drought but says some in Alberta are moving their cattle to as far as Manitoba to pastures. The Czar rancher says that the Ribstone Creek this spring had the least amount of flooding that he could recall.
• Weekend Rain
The rain in the area began to fall on Saturday and lasted until Sunday and there was some drizzle at press time, Monday, June 4. At Amisk Gordon DeBord reported 5/10 to 6/10ths of an inch; Janet Dickson reported 5 1/2 10ths of an inche a mile west of Chauvin (with 2/10ths on Tuesday and one half inch on Wednesday and Thursday); Ron Stables reports 7/10ths of an inch at his Consort home; while Dennis Heck reports 2/10ths of an inch two miles north east of Bodo. Eight miles south of Macklin, Robert Brost had 2 1/2 tenths of an inch while at Cadogan Avis Jickling recorded 4/10ths of an inch. At Roworth and Cameron ranch three miles south of Czar almost one half inch fell —the same amount recorded by Bernice Symington at Hughenden where it is “nice and green.” Gordon Carson of Amisk reported approximately one half inch of rain. Lindy Hager who lives 12 miles north of Hayter said that nearby there was 6/10ths of an inch. North of Provost Ron Angeltvedt had a half inch of rain while Spilde Farms, also north of town recorded 3/10ths of an inch of rain.
The province’s honey producers, also affected by the severe drought conditions, will receive $4 per operational hive in 2001 under the Honey component of FIAP 2001.
In total, $73 million will be made available under the FIAP 2001 program for the province’s livestock and honey producers. As well, in order to help Alberta farmers better prepare for drought in the future, an additional $20 million will be allocated to the Alberta Farm Water Program (AFWP) to help farmers develop long-term, on-farm water supplies.
The AFWP will pay for one-third of development costs, to a maximum of $5,000 per producer, for eligible water supply projects. Farmers will need to apply for this program. Projects will need to be completed by March 31, 2002 and the deadline for submitting applications for the AFWP is May 31, 2002. Approved applicants must submit a long-term water supply management plan to Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AAFRD).
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