The president of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) says that although harvest is right around the corner for Manitoba farmers, the results of the growing season will vary from producer to producer, as weather patterns have fluctuated drastically in different regions.
“In speaking to a number of producers right across the province — even on our own farm — from one corner to another, it’s been a mixed bag, so to speak,” Jill Verwey told Global Winnipeg.
Verwey’s family farm is near Portage la Prairie, where it’s been dry, she said. But that’s not the case for all regions of Manitoba, and it’s not just rain. Many Manitoba farms were hit with extreme weather, including hail, earlier in the season.
“For the most part, farmers adequately insure themselves, but you certainly don’t want to see devastation of hail coming through, and it does impact you as a farmer when you have that,” she said.
“Usually, it doesn’t affect all of your land at once. It’s usually isolated, but the damage is certainly there.
Verwey said despite some early concerns, supplies of livestock feed are strong in Manitoba, but shortages remain elsewhere in western Canada.
“Most producers have adequate feed, or access to it, coming off last year, but definitely May and June was dry so (producers) were concerned going into pasture,” she said.
“I think it’s going to be sufficient this year, but certainly to the west, there are huge shortages out there. Hopefully, there’s enough to fill the gaps for everyone, because at the end of the day, we want to make sure that all the livestock has sufficient feed.”