As conditions remain dry, concerns with respect to pasture land and crops continue to grow. (Submitted/ Tim Oleksyn)

By Nigel Maxwell

Farming challenges

Sask. farmers hoping harvest offers positive surprises, meanwhile NDP calling for immediate aid

Jul 23, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Michael Grassick farms east of Prince Albert and is the first to admit the situation is not great in his area.

Pastures are really thin, hay bales are half what they were last year, and his grain crops are not faring much better.

“We know they are going to be really down but until we get the combine in there and start the actual harvest process, we won’t be able to really tell how bad it is,” he explained.

Grassick recalled they received a little bit of rain on June 25, but before that, the last rainfall was on the tenth of June. This has had a direct impact on the cattle who graze the land for food.

“They are gonna be looking for food here pretty quick so as cattle farmers we are trying to source some winter feed right now. It’s tough,” Grassick said.

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Speaking with other farmers in the area, Grassick explained some of the more senior farmers he has spoken to have said it’s the worst they’ve ever seen, while others recalled a similar situation back in 1988.

“You can’t really prepare for it but you kind of hope to weather the storm,” Grassick said, adding he feels for the younger farmers, who have only been in it a few years, and likely face higher financing rates.

A picture taken of some aborted and under developed pods with no seed. No late rains will help at this stage. (Submitted photo/ Tim Oleskyn)

West of the city is Tim Oleksyn’s operation which also includes a mix of crops and cattle. Much like Grassick, Oleksyn is waiting for harvest before jumping to conclusions.

“Some [crops] are bad and some will surprise us,” he said.

Adding farmers have been through this before, recalling dry years in 2001 and 2002, Oleksyn said the rain this past week helped fill some remaining kernels and may also cause some regrowth to occur which may in turn held with feed concerns.

“Every operation has some challenges for sure. Is it a good thing where we are? No of course not,” Oleksyn explained.

Oleksyn added it’s important for people to know that while farmers are suffering from a business stand point, the impact will reach the consumers as many of the grain crops grown in Saskatchewan are used by the big companies who make various cereals and oatmeal, or even the french fries at your favourite restaurant or grocery store.

Calls for aid

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Agriculture Critic Trent Wotherspoon have penned a letter to both Premier Scott Moe and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asking for an immediate aid package for drought stricken farmers.

“This is a crisis that Canada needs to recognize, that the province needs to recognize and the solutions need to be found with producers and ranchers here in Saskatchewan to ensure access to feed, access to water and the supports in place to weather this incredibly terrible challenge,” Wotherspoon said.

The letter calls on both level of governments to develop a meaningful aid program and that producer groups are “ready to lead the way.” Meili believes the drought conditions this year are even worse than those the province experienced in 1988, which reportedly cost the province around $4 billion, and was at the time, the hottest summer on record.

“We talked to a producer with 2,000 acres in the ground and he’s not gonna move his combine this year. He’s not going to be using a single one of those … and in fact he’s talking to his neighbours about having them come graze the plants that have grown because that’s all they’re useful for,” Meili said.

Farmers who farms oats, have not had many flattering stories to share this year. (Submited/ Tim Oleksyn)

In a letter written back to the NDP leader and Wotherspoon, provincial Agriculture Minister Davit Marit says he’s not sure exactly what’s being requested, adding that program changes for producers were announced over a week ago.

“Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) has made changes to allow low yielding crops to be cut for feed immediately,” the letter reads.

“In response to the feed shortage this year, SCIC is doubling the Low Yield Appraisal threshold values for customers who salvage their cereal or pulse crops as feed without negatively impacting future individual coverage.”

Marit also writes that they’ve made changes to temporarily increase the maximum finding a livestock producer can get from the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program. He said they’re also working with the federal government to explore more options.

Still, Meili and Wotherspoon say many farmers and producers are in a desperate situation after years of similar conditions.

“This is year four of drought. You get one bad year, maybe you can make it through, but year after year, and all the moisture reserves are gone and all the financial reserves are gone — people are in really dire straits.”

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

— with files from 650 CKOM