'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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
ArriveCan contractor to be admonished by MPs in extraordinarily rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.