Sure is dry here!

[cowman]

Dug a post hole lately? Here in central Alberta it is dry! Got a good inch and a half around the end of June a couple of half inchers through July and August and a couple of 1/10 inchers(if you shook the rain gauge hard)! And yet we got one hell of a hay crop, the barley looks semi-decent and the pastures are getting the job done. I guess it helps to get about a foot of snow in May! The grasshoppers aren't too bad right here but in other places closeby they are fairly vigorous!
Poured the water to the garden and it is pretty amazing even though the cows had a little romp through it one day...my darn nephew left a gate open!
Thought in June my summer occupation might be mowing the lawn all summer but the dry weather sure saved me from that! Also a mosquito is a rare sight around here! Kind of nice to be able to sit out on the deck at night without slapping yourself silly!

[Junebug]

we are sooo dry here that even the grasshoppers are very thirsty. We have approx. 200 acres that was supposed to be hay, and it has had no cattle on it this year, and there is nothing there.
We would normally have 1200 big round bales in the acres covered and instead we have 360. decreased the herd last year by 75% to cope with the drought and can hardly scrounge enough feed for the 100 head that is left. Bought drought insurance this year, with a 3000.00 premiun and was informed that they are not paying in this area. (because spring moisture levels were good) Doesn't matter that we've missed nearly every shower since.

[Junebug]

Oh By the way, Any one upset over the drought insurance (non payment) is invited to a meeting being held at the Buck Lake Hall at 5:00 p.m. Thursday Aug 28th. There is going to be a Federal Rep, Ty Lund, Ag and/or crop specialists and others. We need ALL concerned parties there. Please come.

[pandiana]

We also bought, for the first time, pasture insurance. Informed that moisture was over average from all stations but this was in June. We have had 6/10 in early July and less than 3/10 all of August (until today). I can't help but think that when these new numbers come in, coupled with the grasshoppers, they will have to take another look. Everyone keeps saying to phone them and let them know whats happening.

[pickarock]

Crop Insurance, Pasture, Hay - whatever it is we have got to start making a stand. These programs have got to start insuring what they are intended to. The only way we will see a change is if we let them know we are upset. We have been feeding cows in pasture since Aug 1 - I would think that means pasture ins should kick in - or is our pasture only supposed to last till June 30. Please take the time to phone or write your MLA and AFSC head office. I suggest to make your complaints in writing. Sometimes phonecalls get no followup. Thanks

[Junebug]

Please phone, write, and/or attend meetings. We have to let them know the program is not working, to help those in need.

[cowman]

Junebug: I weakly looked into the pasture/hay insurance thing this winter and concluded it was a joke. Why can't we get a sweet heart deal like crop insurance? Now I'm not going to rant on about this but I know(I have some interest in grain production) that this whole pasture/hay thing just didn't measure up. Did you know last year(the big bad drought year in central Alta.) that many grain farmers registered their best year EVER!!! I know this for a fact... I have a good friend who is a CPA!
When, if ever, will the livestock producer, be able to participate in that kind of program? The answer is quite simple...NEVER!!!

[Junebug]

Cowman, You are right, the program is a joke (a costly one for lots of us) And possible a goner next year.
Went to the meeting in Bcklake last night. About 300 people were there. Surprisingly there were lots of federal,provincial and agriculture reps there. More than were asked to attend. They got the message loud and clear that farmers were not happy and would not even consider the program again unless they made changes for this year.
We were also told that the spring moisture testing was all done on stubble and some samples taken when the frost was still in the ground. AFSC is using information from a reseach project that was collected for an entirely different reason.
These peoplewere taken on a tour to see the drought devastation that they are not paying for.
Meryl Jacabson (AFSC pasture drought program cordinator who was pounded with questions and comments) said "last year they collected approx 10.6 (?) million in premiuns and paid out 42 million in claims. This year they plan to collect 16.4 million premiuns and will pay out 5 million (Sundre area) Guess they wanted to make up some to compensate for last year.
I really don't know how they could sleep at night after seeing what the farmer is facing. When the production is down so bad, how can one consider buying feed (even at $25 a bale) to feed 5-10cent lb. cows.

[cowman]

You keep right on them Junebug! Lean on your MLA! Government can actually work if you can convince the politicians to come around to your way of thinking! Not because they sympathize with you but because they get worried about getting booted out in the next election and they might have to get a real job!
You get some of these MLAs thinking the gravy train might end and they'll move mountains to keep you happy!

[achiliak]

I kind of resent the reference to crop insurance being such a sweet deal. We here in risk area 9 have a situation of our premiums being up to 20% of our coverage! Hardly a sweet deal. We will never make it if we have to rely on crop insurance. This years crop is good enough to not trigger a crop insurance payout (I don't think), but nowwhere near enough to cover cash inputs, let alone all that "other stuff" that Lee says we should have. Like profit, ROI, etc.

[pickarock]

Junebug - Thanks for the update on the Buck Lake Mtg. Like always with the pasture ins they get a little heat so decide to cancel the program. If the program is deemed to be unreliable why are they still collecting everyone's premium! Cowman is right - I have sent letters to Shirley McClellan's office and get response which is more that ou get from AFSC where all you get is "sorry that's the way it is - right or wrong - our hands are tied". MLA's can help to untie their hands. Keep going - I will send letters today also.

[cakadu]

We are well beyond drought even if you compare it to last year. The storm earlier this week brought us only about 3/10ths whereas others were in the inch to 2-inch arena. We can only dream of the days we got moisture like that.

It's my understanding that some of what was going to be discussed at that meeting was how the data was collected and what they were using in terms of determining just how much moisture had accumulated. I've heard of people being told that they've had 138% of moisture, where I don't know, but it certainly isn't around here anywhere.

Apparently it shows up in the rain gauge/weather station, but by the time the wind and heat get ahold of it, nothing gets to the ground, or if it does, it doesn't last too long.

We've had so much cloud seeding out here, that I think that it has dried everything up, not just the supposedly big hail stones that the silver iode is supposed to take care of.

Interestingly enough it's a group of insurance companies that pay for cloud seeding in order to ensure that we don't get hail, or at least bad hail. Now, if earlier this month and this summer are any indication, all we do by seeding the clouds is pass the problem further down the line and somebody pays in the end.

I'm really beginning to think that they should quit this cloud seeding so that some of the moisture comes back. Can anybody give me an explanation as to why we should keep up with the practice of cloud seeding when we are so desperate for moisture?

[cowman]

Talked to a farmer friday in Red Deer. He says the barley is running anywhere between 80-100 bu./acre. 51 lbs. and very high protein. Had talked to another one earlier(further east) and his hard spring wheat was doing about 40 bu./acre with a super high protein level. Their two farms are about eight miles apart just east of Red Deer. Of course the land just east of Red Deer(before you get into the Hunting Hills) is sort of like a little garden of Eden that seems to get every little shower that comes through. This is where the barley was coming off. Too bad they are planting houses there as fast as they can put them up!

[Junebug]

Cakadu: According to AFSC nearly all areas except Sundre had over 100% of normal moisture. I can't imagine they can really believe that after the tour they were given. There was big discussion on how the spring moisture was determined. For the pasture insurance, many samples were taken on the frost and on stubble not on grass. How accurate is that??? The data that was collected, was intended for an entirely different program, but AFSC decided to use it for their purpose.
THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER. Our silage ran 2.75 ton/acre. Pretty sad I'd say. The hay was 1/4 of normal production. Does a person in their right mind purchase feed for $.10 cows. Does anyone know what bred cows are worth? Might have some for sale.

[Junebug]

pickarock: The people at the meeting told AFSC that if they didn't pay out this year they might as well ditch the program (Even if they make changes)because why would we get sucked into it again when for most of us at the meeting, it is a worse drought than last year. The worst in 70 years some say.