Canadian Farmers Continue to See Hail Damage as Harvest Begins

As harvest begins across the Prairie Provinces, farmers continue to report crop damage from scattered hail events, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA).

“Storm activity over the last two weeks has been minimal,” said Darryl Tiefenbach, Co-Operative Hail Insurance Company. “There has been minimal rain as well during this time and [that] is having a negative effect on head and pod filling in discussions I have had with producers over the last few weeks. Hopefully there will be some moisture relief in the near future.”

CCHA member companies investigated more than 1,300 crop damage claims from storms that occurred August 2-15, with most of those claims reported in Alberta.

“This year’s storm season is a bit unprecedented,” said George Kueber, Claims Adjusting Manager for Agriculture Financial Service Corporation in Lacombe Alberta. “We haven’t had claims volumes like this since 2016,” Kueber said.

Peas, lentils, fall rye, winter wheat and some early seeded cereals are being harvested in the southern part of Saskatchewan.

“With harvest now underway and improved access to fields, adjusters are able to complete claims more efficiently each day,” said Scott McQueen, Palliser Insurance Company, Ltd. “This is helping ensure farmers receive timely claim settlements and can continue harvesting with minimal interruption.”

Companies contributing to this report are Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, Palliser Insurance Company Ltd., and Rain and Hail Insurance Services.

ALBERTA

Crops damaged: alfalfa, barley, beans, cabbage, canola, carrots, chickpeas, corn, faba bean, flax, hemp, lentils, market garden, mustard, oats, onions, peas, potatoes, rye, soybeans, squash, sugar beets, timothy, triticale and wheat

Communities impacted include: Acme, Balzac, Beiseker, Benalto, Blackie, Bluesky, Caroline, Cayley, Chancellor, Champion, Chin, Claresholm, Coaldale, Cremona, Crossfield, Deep Creek, Diamond City, Didsbury, Donalda, Ensign, Fairview, Granum, Green Court, Hemaruka, High River, Hussar, Irricana, Iron Springs, Joffre, Lacombe, Lomond, Madden, Morinville, Mossleigh, Nobleford, North-Calgary, Picture Butte, Raven, Readymade, Rockyford, Sangudo, Shaughnessy, Spruce View, Standard, Vegreville, Vulcan, Waskatenau, Westward Ho, Worsley, Wrentham.

 MANITOBA

Crops damaged: cereals, corn, canola, soybeans, peas and flax

Communities impacted include: Brandon, Dugrost, Souris

SASKATCHEWAN

Crops damaged: barley, canola, corn, lentils, peas and wheat

Communities impacted include: Alameda, Bienfait, Carlyle, Neilburg, Oxbow, Rockglen, Shell Lake