Farms.com Home   News

Significant crop damage reported in recent storms

It's been a busy few weeks for hail adjusters with some major storms moving through the Prairies leaving a trail of crop and property damage. 

Scott McQueen, President of the Canadian Crop Hail Association says we may have had a slow start but in the last few weeks we've seen an increase in storm activity.

While McQueen didn't have total claim numbers available at the time of the interview, he notes in one week (July 25 - 31) they've had more than 1200 claims of crop damage reported between Alberta and Saskatchewan.

"In Saskatchewan, ranging from the Swift Current area, up into Rosetown, and then down the highway past Saskatoon, and into the Yorktown area, Kamsack and Canora. We've seen some pea to baseball sized hail in that Elrose, Beechy area."

Reports say a storm over the weekend (August 13) in the Kelvington area caused significant damage.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.