Southern Alberta farmers dealing with ‘exceptional droughts,’ poor yielding crops

Extremely dry and warmer than usual weather is the perfect recipe for terrible conditions for Alberta’s producers.

Agriculture Canada, is calling Alberta’s conditions “exceptional droughts” as many ranchers and farmers east, and south, of Calgary deal with the driest conditions in all of Canada.

Rick Lemiere, the reeve for the M.D. of Pincher Creek, says it has felt historic and unprecedented.

“We like to think we’re in control but we’re definitely not,” he said. “We always looked at the forecast and they say 70-80 per cent chance, and you think “Ah, we’ll get something then” as it gets closer to the day — down to 30 (per cent) and then, nothing.”

“I’ve tried to get ahold of some older, past counsellors and they can never remember declaring an [agricultural disaster] so I don’t know if it’s the first time we’ve done it or not, but I’ve only been on council six years and we haven’t done it during that time.

The region south of Calgary is the 13th district in the province to declare a state of agricultural emergency as a result of drought conditions from a lack of moisture, along with severe heat, impacting most of the crops in the area.

The latest drought map provided by Agriculture Canada shows most of southern Alberta east and south of Calgary dealing with the driest conditions in all of Canada.

Producers like Matt Sawyer, who farms northeast of Calgary, claims this has felt like a common occurrence over the last few years.

“It seems the further south and east you go, the worse it gets,” he said. “There’s a lot of poor, poor crops out there that certainly are going to below the five year average for sure — maybe 35 per cent of a crop.

“It’s not a good deal, it’s serious, right?”

Sawyer says the effects seem to compounding.

“Below average, that’s tough. The lingering effects of this drought — all the damage to pastures, trees, is unfortunate,” he said.

Morrie Goetjen is a rancher northwest of the city. He says they have been very fortunate for moisture this year. But he knows it isn’t normal.

“Guys south and east of Calgary, just from what I’m hearing, it’s pretty bleak,” he said.

Despite the conditions, Goetjen says his area has been doing better than most.

“We basically lost 50 per cent of our growing season and we basically lost the month of May,” he said. “The biggest problem, the guys that are watering out of dugouts and wells and springs that are going dry because of the lack of moisture.”

Two years ago, yields were well below average for many different crops as a result of the conditions.

Experts who have talked with CityNews anticipate this year could be even worse.