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County of Stettler Declares Agricultural Disaster

Updated: Sep 9, 2021

County of Stettler Press Release August 13, 2021 @ 2:27pm published at 2:51 pm


Council declares disaster to raise awareness with Provincial and Federal Governments


Lack of snow pack, run-off and rainfall combined with extended heat waves led County of Stettler Council to declare an Agricultural Disaster on Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at their Regular Council Meeting.


After reviewing the most recent moisture maps, the 2021 growing season appears to be the third worst year in the last 50 years for relative moisture conditions.


“Farmers are currently running combines on very short crops. We’re seeing crops that are too short for equipment to pick up,” said Larry Clarke, Reeve for the County of Stettler. “Farmers are going to be struggling to make something of their crops, and producers are going to be paying to find feed that is not going to be readily available. Surface water in some areas is in severe depletion, or in many cases bone dry,” he added.


Last Friday, August 6, 2021, the Alberta Government announced a relief program for livestock

and bee producers. Relief for other commodities has yet to be announced.


Discussions with producers throughout Stettler County have shown similar impacts of the dry

weather in all areas, with the situation being most dire in the southeast region of the County

and marginal improvement as you move to the northwest. Most producers reported an intent

to combine as the price of grains are holding, but those producers are expecting only limited

economic benefit due to reduced yields (25-40%).


Producers are reporting 20-40% yield of normal hay crop harvests. Pastures are dry and bare,

with producers now having to consider downsizing their herds.


Attached is data for our region, provided to the County of Stettler by the Agro-meteorology

Applications and Modelling Unit, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.


County Council made this declaration of Agricultural Disaster with the intent to encourage the

Provincial and Federal Government to initiate programming to assist our agricultural producers.


As of August 6, 2021, 22 municipalities had declared an Agricultural Disaster in the Province of Alberta.


For more information contact: Quinton Beaumont, Agricultural Services at 403-742-4441 or

email asb@stettlercounty.ca.


County of Stettler No. 6

Box 1270

6602 – 44 Avenue

Stettler, Alberta T0C 2L0

T:403.742.4441 F: 403.742.1277

www.stettlercounty.ca


Niki Thorsteinsson, Director of Communications

403-742-4441


Yvette Cassidy, Chief Administrative Officer

ycassidy@stettlercounty.ca

403-742-4441


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