The ongoing heavy rainfall in central Alberta this summer has been detrimental for many farmers.
Zolton Yaramie, who farms northeast of Edmonton near Andrew in Lamont County, has roughly 3,000 acres of canola, which would typically produce around 150,000 bushels.
This year, he says he’ll be lucky to get 40,000.
It’s not just canola that’s suffering as a result of the record-breaking rainfalls in June and July.
Yaramie’s lentil field is now overgrown with weeds after receiving several inches of rain earlier in the summer.
He’s not the only farmer facing the precipitation problem.
Several counties — including Athabasca, Thorhild, Westlock and Sturgeon to the north of Edmonton — declared states of agricultural disaster earlier this summer.
On Aug. 25, the Alberta and Canadian governments announced they’re reopening AgriStability applications for farmers suffering the impacts of the wet conditions this year.
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The AgriStability enrolment deadline was April 30, but the governments are now giving farmers until Oct. 1 to sign up for the program.
AgriStability provides support when a producer’s income margin falls below 70 per cent of their historical average, covering 80 cents for every dollar of additional decline up to a maximum payment of $3 million.
However, the government’s news release said a 20 per cent reduction (penalty) applies to any AgriStability benefit for producers who enrol during the late participation period.
Those producers also must pay the required upfront fee by Oct. 1 to be eligible for the 2026 program. Factors such as reduced income, increased expenses or reduced inventory are used to determine a potential benefit.
AgriStability is one of the business risk management programs under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).
Katherine Ludwig has more in the video at the top of this page.
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