Regina – This is the ninth year in a row, the farm of Quinton Jackstit has experienced drought.
The south -west Suskechewan farmer, who is also a reave for the rural municipality of the Big Stick, says that his crops are extremely low, and they are planning to overcome most of them for animal feed.
“They are not going to be able to make a lot of yield,” he said, “he said in a recent interview from his home near Golden Prey, east of the Suskechewan-Alberta border.
“I am going to revive through it and maybe another year, but I have some boys who want to do farming, and this is not something that I will suggest at this particular time.”
He said that other people are worse.
“This can end for them. It can be a three or four -generation farm.”
Dry monitors of agriculture and agriculture and food Canada show that the country’s swaths are unusually dried to extremely ripe.
Trevor Hedwin, an agricultural-classical expert with the department, said that South-West Suskechewan near the Alberta border has severely reduced moisture for eight years. This year, he said, the pastures have dried up and the rankers are looking to buy additional grass that they cannot grow.
Some have also reduced their flocks or taken cattle in green pastures.
“Sometimes, it is 300, 400 kilometers away,” Hydwen said.
“For crop producers, we are seeing a decrease in yield capacity. Crops are getting very rapidly mature as much as you expect and will not produce more seed materials.”
He said that the peace river region of Alberta in the northwest, as well as the south -west corners of the province, is also dry.
In Suskechewan, Big Stick and neighboring municipalities have declared an emergency situation to spread awareness about drought. Riv Virginia Mair of Enterprise said that her pea probability would not produce pods.
Nor does she hopes that her duras will grow without rains.
“Everything is small, everything is dying,” said Mayer. “When (drought) lasts for so many years, it is starting to be disappointing.”
He said that the cost for fertilizer and other inputs has been high while crop prices are low.
“I think we will be fine, but other people are saying, ‘Do I just get out and sell the land and hire it and just do it with it?”
In the Northern Agricultural Region of the province, a 50 percent increase in a dry spring is expected, Christine Streb said, which cultivates and farm in the north -west of Prince Albert.
Stub said that the province and Ottawa would recently be helpful to allow farmers to sell their regular crops as animal feed without ding on insurance.
“Now the important thing is that we get some continuous rain in summer,” he said.
Jacquette stated that additional changes are required in crop insurance, which includes payments per acre or an event that would allow farmers to resolve the seeds without punishing their coverage.
He said, “We have just joined a state where expenses are being raised as well as our insurance coverage has fallen at a point where they no longer cover the cost of the field,” he said.
“We are not trying to be a beggar or anything like that. We are just trying to know the government that our programs are not working.”
Suskechewan’s Agriculture Ministry said in a statement that the province is ready to work with Ottawa how they can increase insurance programs. It states that options are available for farmers who do not choose to feed their crops.
Hydwen said that the summer season approach is not favorable for dry-affected areas.
“Some areas still have a little time to recover, but other areas are probably for summer,” he said.
Environment and climate change Canada’s forecast predicts a warm-to-normal summer with uncertain rainfall levels. A research scientist Bill Maryfield, a weather office, recently said that human pollution has been a significant impact on Hotter Summer.
Tinder dry conditions have also created the necessary fuel to start hundreds of forest fire across the country, forcing thousands of people to flee their communities before this spring.
Till Friday, Manitoba has reported 60 active wildfires, now being told with the residents of Lin Lake that they have to be vacated for the second time. Suskechewan has reported 65 active fire, with five communities under the evacuation.
Dawn Connic, who cultivated near Gaol Lake in South-West Suskechewan, said a long-term plan is required to deal with frequent droughts.
A director, with the Association of Agricultural Producers Association of Suskechewan, said that farmers should consider considering how they catch cattle and create a network to supply grass to those in low supply.
He said that more research and water retention ponds are also required.
“(Drought) Year -Dardar is happening,” he said. “Crop insurance has been very helpful in this, but again, they have limitations that they can do.”
This report of Canadian Press was first published on 6 July 2025.
Jeremy Symes, Canadian Press
