'Devastating blow': Northwest Alberta municipal district declares agricultural disaster
The municipal district of Greenview has declared an agricultural disaster due to drought conditions.
The district is in northwest Alberta and encompasses areas south of Grande Prairie to Grand Cache and east to Fox Creek, including Valleyview, DeBolt, and Two Creeks.
Greenview Council declared the disaster at their meeting on Tuesday. In a statement, the municipal district said drought conditions within multiple areas of Greenview have “significantly impacted” agricultural producers.
“A prolonged record-breaking heatwave peaked at the end of June and continued into early July, delivering consistently high heat, heavy winds, and a significant lack of moisture,” the district said.
“These conditions combined have impacted crop and livestock producers across areas of Greenview.”
- Alta. county that flooded 2 years ago now declaring ag emergency over drought-like conditions
- Official drought or not, Alberta farmers experiencing toughest summer in years
- Province and feds team up to help farmers survive dry, hot summer
Many agricultural producers are facing crop failure, premature ripening of crops, poor yields and quality, the district added. Some producers have been forced to reduce as much as 75 per cent of harvesting.
“With that severe heat that we had, the seed heads were just forming. They shrivelled up,” said Reeve Dale Smith, in an interview with CTV News Edmonton. “It was a devastating blow.”
Smith said the farmers in the area have had little respite in the past few years.
“We had too much rain last year and it drowned crops out, and other years we had frost – it’s been back to back,” he added. “Those producers have payments to do, you know it makes a struggle, it increases their debt.”
He hopes for moisture so that the soil can be replenished for next growing season.
“We gotta stay positive going forward,” Smith said. “There have been spotty rains here and there. The heat has just been so extreme.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it’s too late
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.