Wind, Rain, and Hail Impacting Crops Across Canada
Storms with damaging winds, excess rain, and hail ranging from pea to tennis ball size wreaked havoc on crops across the three Prairie Provinces the last two weeks, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.
CCHA member companies are investigating more than 780 claims of crop damage from storms that occurred June 7-21.
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.
According to Darryl Tiefenbach with Co-operative Hail Insurance Company, the adequate moisture is helpful but could also be a cause for concern.
“This is good for crop growth and development but could also create a favorable environment for hail storm development,” he said.
The damage to crops varied across the provinces from minor to severe, depending on the size of the hail. Most of the crops damaged by the storms will recover over time.
ALBERTA
Crops damaged: alfalfa, barley, dry beans, camelina, canola, chickpeas, corn, faba beans, flax, hemp, lentils, oats, onions, peas, potatoes, rye, sugar beets, triticale, wheat
Communities impacted include: Acme, Bassano, Bieseker, Blackie, Bon Accord, Brant, Brooks, Calahoo, Cardston, Chancellor, Cheadle, Cluny, Cochrane, Crossfield, Didsbury, Egremont, Elkwater, Ensign, Guy, Hamlin, Hays, Heisler, Holden, Hussar, Lavoy, Legal, Lomond, Lougheed, Lyalta, Manning, Medicine Hat, Milo, Namaka, Pickardville, Purple Springs, Ranier, Rockyford, Rolling Hills, Scandia, Seven Person, St. Isadore, Standard, Strathmore, Taber, Tilley, Viking, Vulcan, Waskatenau, Wostok
MANITOBA
Crops damaged: barley, canola, corn, edible beans, fall rye, field peas, grain corn, oats, rye, soybeans, sunflowers, wheat
Communities impacted include: Arborg, Beausejour, Birtle, Carman, Cartier, Decker, Dominion City, Elie, Elkhorn, Foxwarren, Gladstone, Kola, Medora, New Bothwell, Ninette, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Pilot Mound, Roblin, Rosser, Russell, Sanford, Sifton, Snowflake, Somerset, Stanley, Stonewall, Tourond
SASKATCHEWAN
Crops damaged: beans, canola, chickpeas, corn, lentils, peas, rye, wheat
Communities impacted include: Alida, Arcola, Assiniboia, Brownlee, Cadillac, Carlyle, Carnduff, Cypress County, Delmas, Estevan, Grand Coulee, Gull Lake, Meota, Moose Jaw, North Portal, Outlook, Oxbow, Richardson, Stoughton, Unity