“Team Alberta” calls for immediate provincial government action with unharvested crops
“Team Alberta,” a collaborative initiative led by the province’s four crop commissions: Alberta Barley, Alberta Canola, Alberta Pulse Growers, and the Alberta Wheat Commission, will meet with the province’s agriculture minister and representatives from the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) this Wednesday to request immediate action regarding approximately one million unharvested acres still sitting in farmers’ fields throughout the province.
This recommendation is consistent with the message Team Alberta has carried in discussions with the provincial government throughout the fall and winter of 2016 in anticipation of the spring seeding season.
“In many areas, destroying last year’s crop is the only solution that ensures farmers can seed this year’s crop early enough to avoid fall frost damage,” said Kevin Auch, Alberta Wheat Commission Chair.
“We need quick action from the government to ensure farmers avoid a repeat of the circumstances they faced last year.”
The crop insurance program requires that farmers obtain a pre-harvest assessment before putting their crop to another use even though it may not be salvageable.
Heavy snowfall over the Easter weekend likely ensured that crops in hardest hit areas will have limited commercial value.
Additionally, weather forecasts for this week predict snow in regions throughout the province.
Added snowfall will deteriorate conditions even more, making harvest virtually impossible and further jeopardizing the viability of this year’s crop.
“If harvesting simply isn’t an option because of timing and wet conditions, the procedures around crop insurance payouts will need to be adjusted so farmers’ crops aren’t compromised two years in a row,” said Jason Lenz, Alberta Barley Chair.
“Farmers that were hit with more wet weather last week are even worse off since the conditions aren’t conducive to harvesting,” said Greg Sears, Alberta Canola Producers Commission Chair.
“With more snowfall predicted this week, the reality is that farmers in certain areas won’t have a viable crop again this year if options aren’t immediately made available to them.”
“Last year’s unseasonably wet conditions led the Alberta Government to declare a state of agricultural disaster,” said D’Arcy Hilgartner, Alberta Pulse Growers Chair.
“Our intent with this meeting is to work with the government to find solutions that ensures last year’s disaster doesn’t put this year’s crop at risk.”
Team Alberta will keep farmers updated on potential options for unharvested acres following discussions with the provincial government.
