'Scary situation' in Alberta's drought-stricken fields raises questions about farming's future

The president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) says a dire situation has emerged for various municipalities, especially in the southern and eastern parts of the province.

"There's just not enough time, if we did have the moisture required, and just too late germination. So it's a pretty scary situation," Paul McLauchlin said.

Such conditions are likely to spark some bigger conversations about the future of food security in the province, McLauchlin said, especially when it comes to agricultural disasters.

This year, multiple municipalities have declared agricultural disasters, including: 

The latest moves follow devastating drought conditions two years ago when multiple provincial municipalities declared agricultural disasters.

"We're definitely into a trend," McLauchlin said. "I think that we need to start looking for conversations around efficiency in our use of agricultural disasters, what type of mitigation we can have. 

"Coming into a hotter and drier future, we've got to start having bigger discussions on how we can mitigate this for the long run."

In declaring the disaster in Wheatland County, located east of Calgary, officials said the problem is "urgent," writing the drought means there's very little water for crops. For some producers, any precipitation may be too late.

The Special Areas Board, which covers more than five million acres in east-central Alberta, also declared an agricultural disaster, for Special Area No. 2, 3, and 4 on July 12, the second time it had done so in more than 20 years.

"Dry conditions are not new to the Special Areas, but ongoing moisture deficiencies and hot temperatures have devastated crops and pasture throughout the region," wrote Jordon Christianson, chair of the board, in a statement. 

"Producers are struggling to find enough grass, water and feed for their cattle. Farmers are facing widespread crop failures. Significant grasshopper infestations are making a very difficult situation worse in many parts of the Special Areas."

Ed Vandenberg, who farms potatoes, dry beans and corn near Enchant, Alta., says he's fortunate to have irrigation, because without it, he wouldn't have a crop this year — but it has led to challenges for his neighbours.

"It just puts a bit of a negative gloom over the area, when neighbours get together and they're talking about the crops and the state of the crops," Vandenberg said.

"It's discouraging when you have good crops, and the potential and the promise of a good harvest, that brings a smile to farmers' faces. But they're far and few between right now."