Canadian Crop Hail Association Releases Latest Report

Jul 08, 2020

Thunderstorms seemed to be a regular occurrence across the Prairies lately.

There was more storm activity over the weekend in all three provinces including reports of three tornadoes touching down in Southern Saskatchewan and softball-sized hail on Saturday.

Storm damage is keeping hail adjusters busy, in the last two weeks in June, the Canadian Crop Hail Association reported 100 hail claims.

CCHA President Rick Omelchenko says they've been hearing about pea to quarter-sized hail being reported in multiple storms.

"There's been some really, really heavily hit areas, but it's been spotty. There's really no definite areas in particular right now, its right across the prairies Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta."

He says when it comes to the recent thunderstorms there's a real cycle of activity.

"Every day or every second day we're getting reports that hail hits somewhere. and it's been extreme in some places like not really vast across all the provinces like they used to be. There's little pockets stirring up and with all this heat and moisture in the air, it's going to keep happening."

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.