Thousands of hectares of unharvested crop still sit underneath layers of snow in Alberta, which could lead to local farmers claiming on huge crop losses.
CBC reported that over 400,000 hectares of crop were buried in snow, left unharvested last fall due to sudden winter conditions. Parts of the province were hit with rain and hail in September, at the height of the harvest period. Heavy, wet snow then followed in early October, preventing farmers from salvaging what they could.
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Much of the unharvested canola, wheat, and barley are ruined, said Alberta Wheat Commission director and farmer Warren Sekulic.
“I know there’s a couple of guys I talked to in central Alberta that have farmed [for many years] and they’ve never had a fall like this,” Sekulic said, commenting on the odd fall weather. “This one takes the cake.”
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According to Sekulic, northern, central, and eastern Alberta were the hardest hit by the severe weather event, although other parts of the province also experienced heavy snowfall. He also added that farmers might need to wait for the snow to melt to determine if they should destroy the buried crops or salvage what is left and sell the crop at reduced prices.
While Alberta’s farmers will get insurance payouts for the damage, the industry will still suffer from a considerable financial loss.
“At best, I would say most producers are looking at a break even at very best, but it’s likely to be quite a significant loss,” said Alberta Barely Commission chairman Jason Lenz.
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