Nearly every region of the province received some type of crop hail damage last month.
The Canadian Crop Hail Association says it was a busier June than usual with more than 650 claims across the Prairies between the 8th and 25th.
Most of the hail varied in size from pea to golf ball. Early stage crops have a better chance of bouncing back compared to those that were more mature. Farmers have been buying more hail insurance to protect higher value crops that cost more money to seed, fertilize and spray this year.
In a normal year, the worst time for hail storms is usually late July and early August.
Below we have a short interview with Tyson Ryhorchuck, vice-chair of the Canadian Crop Hail Association, as well as the original July 1st news release.
Storms produced hail as large as baseballs across Western Canada resulting in minor damage to early-stage crops and significant damage to mature crops, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association.
The storms occurred June 8-25.
CCHA member companies are investigating more than 649 claims of crop damage during the time period.
Darryl Tiefenbach, of Additional Municipal Hail, said storms damaged all types of crops in the Saskatchewan communities of Frontier, Climax, Fillmore, Corning, Glen Avon, Kipling, Moosomin, Rocanville, Swift Current, Shamrock, Mossbank, Spring Valley, Avonlea, Balgonie, Assiniboia, White Fox, Nipawin, Carrot River.
He said storms produced hail ranging from pea-size to as large as a baseball.
“We expect to see minimal to moderate damage in the crops at their early stage of development,” Tiefenbach said.
Heavy rain is also a factor in adjusting crop damage.
“The west half of Saskatchewan began drier than normal due to low snowfall and minimal rainfall prior to seeding but many areas have received some rainfall over the last few weeks,” Tiefenbach said. “The east half of Saskatchewan, and into Manitoba, had higher than average amounts of snowfall and above average rainfall prior to and during seeding. Seeding was later in the East half due to the slow melting snowpack and subsequent rainfall.”
Brendan Blight, of Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, said storms damaged winter wheat, field peas, canola, oats, red spring wheat, soybeans, fall rye, barley and pinto beans in the Manitoba communities of Benito and Swan River.
He said storms produced hail raining from pea to quarter-size.
“We are still assessing the damage but so far it ranges from moderate to severe,” he said.
Yves Dooper, of Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, said storms damaged canola, wheat, potatoes, dry beans, fall rye, durum and barley in the Alberta communities of Carbon, Three Hills, Viking, Mannville, Taber, Stirling, Vauxhall, Strathmore, Irricana, Olds, Innisfail, Penhold, Stettler, Wetaskiwin and Hay Lakes.
The damage was light to medium.
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