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Weeks of hot and dry weather in Saskatchewan have caused the worst drought in decades, and as a result, producers are going to great lengths to salvage what they can.
The Johnstone family never thought they’d be cutting their wheat crop in July. Drought has devastated many of their fields near Corderre, so 80 per cent of the wheat is being harvested green for cattle feed.
“We’re pretty sure we’re going to cut and bale and for us. With the amount of cattle we have, it’s welcome feed,” said Lawrence Johnstone.
This field produced about 40 bushels of grain per acre last summer. This year, it would have been about seven had the government not allowed full crop insurance coverage for fields turned to cattle feed.
Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister was at the Johnstone farm Monday to see the impact of the dry conditions. He said he’s not sure how much the additional crop insurance coverage, announced by the province last week, will cost quite yet.
“It’s obviously going to come with a bill attached to it. We’ve reached out to the federal government with the announcement, just to see where they are at with it. They are going to discuss it and let us know, but my cabinet colleagues supported me in this decision we had to make and felt it was very important to support the producers here,” said Minister of Agriculture David Marit.
Last week, the Government of Saskatchewan said it formally requested the federal government designate the entire province as eligible for the Livestock Tax Deferral program to assist producers who may need to liquidate some of their cattle herd due to feed or water shortages.
The Johnstones have a 700 head herd of cattle. Their pastures are just as dry and water is running low. They said cutting their wheat crop for feed will keep the herd going.
“We sold our cull cows, we took them to slaughter a couple of weeks ago before the prices dropped and here they’re dropping every day,” said Lawrence.
In last week’s crop report, the Ministry of Agriculture said the hot, dry conditions have caused crops to be short and thin, and crop yield and quality will be severely impacted without a significant rainfall.
The Ministry of Agriculture also reminded producers the Farm Stress Line is available 247 for confidential support, toll free at 1-800-667-4442. Calls are answered by Mobile Crisis Services in Regina.
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6 pm |
| 16 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
WIND: WNW 10 KM/H
GUSTING TO 18 KM/H |
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7 pm |
| 17 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: WNW 14 KM/H
GUSTING TO 25 KM/H |
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8 pm |
| 16 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: NW 16 KM/H
GUSTING TO 26 KM/H |
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9 pm |
| 15 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
WIND: NW 12 KM/H
GUSTING TO 25 KM/H |
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10 pm |
| 13 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: NW 18 KM/H
GUSTING TO 32 KM/H |
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11 pm |
| 12 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
WIND: NW 20 KM/H
GUSTING TO 31 KM/H |
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12 am |
| 10 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
WIND: NW 19 KM/H
GUSTING TO 34 KM/H |
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1 am |
| 9 ℃ |
| SCATTERED CLOUDS |
WIND: NW 13 KM/H
GUSTING TO 29 KM/H |
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TODAY |
HIGH OF 18 ℃
LOW OF 9 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
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FRIDAY |
HIGH OF 17 ℃
LOW OF 8 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
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SATURDAY |
HIGH OF 21 ℃
LOW OF 11 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
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SUNDAY |
HIGH OF 13 ℃
LOW OF 10 ℃ |
| MODERATE RAIN |
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MONDAY |
HIGH OF 14 ℃
LOW OF 11 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
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TUESDAY |
HIGH OF 19 ℃
LOW OF 10 ℃ |
| LIGHT RAIN |
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WEDNESDAY |
HIGH OF 22 ℃
LOW OF 12 ℃ |
| BROKEN CLOUDS |
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THURSDAY |
HIGH OF 24 ℃
LOW OF 13 ℃ |
| OVERCAST CLOUDS |
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BLAKE SHELTON
STAY COUNTRY OR DIE TRYIN
06:42 PM |
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JOSH TURNER
PRETTY PLEASE
06:39 PM |
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WILL DEMPSEY
LAST SINGLE THING
06:36 PM |
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EASTON CORBIN
CLOCKWORK
06:32 PM |
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BRIAN KELLEY
SALTWATER RANCH
06:29 PM |
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LUKE BRYAN
IM ON A TRACTOR
06:26 PM |
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LILY ROSE
CLIMBING MAGNOLIAS
06:23 PM |
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PRISCILLA BLOCK
GOODWILL TO GUCCI
06:20 PM |
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CHRIS YOUNG
RIGHT NOW
06:17 PM |
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KANE BROWN
DIDNT KNOW WHAT LOVE WAS
06:11 PM |
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