Early season storms damage crops across Western Canada

Storms in all three western Canadian provinces produced hail that resulted in light to heavy crop damage, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.

The storms occurred June 21-27.

CCHA member companies are investigating 162 claims in Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan with claims still coming in from some of the storms.

Farmers in the Saskatchewan communities of Oungre, Midale, Moose Jaw, Rush Lake, Glenavon, Montmartre, Bethune, Craik, Wilkie, and Maple Creek were hardest hit. Storms nearly every day resulted in 77 claims, according to Darryl Tiefenbach of Additional Municipal Hail.

“The hail activity was sporadic with stones that ranged from pea to loonie-sized,” he said. “The storms also produced significant rainfall.”

In Alberta, farmers in Taber made four claims after a storm damaged dry beans, potatoes and sugar beets, according to Jackie Sanden of Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.

Farmers in Lacombe, Pipestone, Killam and Vegreville made five claims after a storm damaged corn, wheat, canola, barley and peas, Sanden said. A separate in storm Vergeville resulted in three claims for damage to barley, canola and wheat.

Farmers in Bentley, Marwayne, Barrhead, Westlock, Morrinville, and Radway made nine claims after a storm damaged wheat, canola and barley, Sanden said. And in Ryley, Bruderheim, Vegreville, Derwent, Morrinville, Beaverlodge, farmers made nine claims for damage to canola, wheat, oats, barley and peas.

In Saskatchewan, farmers made 17 claims after a storm damaged cereals, oilseed and legumes in Assiniboia, Chamberlain, Odessa, Delams, Glenavon, Sedley, Tompkins, and Fox Valley, according to Murray Bantle, of Co-operative Hail Insurance Company.

In Manitoba, farmers in St. Alphonse, Mariapolis, Russell and Killarney made four claims after a storm damaged oilseed and cereals, Bantle said.

Also in Manitoba, farmers made 34 claims after a storm damaged cereals, canola, soybeans in Pilot Mound, Alexander, Dugald/Oakbank, Miniota, Russell, Inglis, Swan River and Birch River, according to Brendan Blight of Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation.

“Heat over the last few weeks has produced small localized storms throughout the province,” he said.

 

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The Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA) has been serving the crop insurance industry since 1915. It is a member-driven organization that represents the interests of the Canadian Crop Hail managing general agencies and insurance companies. Our companies service agriculture producers in the western prairies. These private and government organizations together provide a risk management tool to the Western Canadian prairie farmer. Members are Additional Municipal Hail Ltd. (Saskatchewan), Ag Direct Hail Insurance Ltd, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (Alberta), Canadian Hail Agencies Inc., Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, Palliser Insurance Company Ltd. and Rain and Hail Insurance Service Ltd.