Livestock producers mull support amid dry spell

Though rain has fallen, pockets of livestock producers continue to struggle for feed and water — and future government support is being considered.

“With climate change, it’s more than likely that this will not go away,” said Richard Chartrand, reeve of the RM of St. Laurent. “We have to look at being proactive.”

St. Laurent declared a state of agricultural emergency in July. Interlake municipalities including Armstrong, Coldwell and Woodlands enacted similar statuses as drought hit local farmers.

A group of municipal leaders met Manitoba government officials to discuss short- and long-term solutions last month. Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn attended.

One emergent idea involves farmers and government splitting the cost of new well creation 50-50, Reeve Chartrand said.

“There was talks about the water levels in dugouts or in wells,” Kostyshyn, a former cattle farmer, said in a separate interview. “At this stage in the game, it’s all under discussion, and we need to work with the federal government maybe as well.”

Another consideration is introducing disaster programming like was seen in 2021, said Carson Callum, general manager of the Manitoba Beef Producers. The 2021 drought led to a marked drop of on-farm cattle in Manitoba.

Following that summer, Ottawa and Manitoba announced an assistance program to offset costs of replacing breeding animals that were culled due to winter feed shortages.

“We’re in discussions with the provincial government on… other strategies,” Callum said. “It’s really dire in certain parts of the province,” he continued. “It’s good to see some rain at start of August here.”

“There was talks about the water levels in dugouts or in wells. At this stage in the game, it’s all under discussion.”– Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn

St. Laurent’s council will review its state of agricultural emergency at its next meeting, on Aug. 20.

Recent rain is “still not enough” to compensate for dry conditions earlier this season, Chartrand said. Some municipalities are tanking water through their dugouts to feed cattle, he added.

Optimal years allow farmers to cut fields for hay twice in a season — once in late spring, and again in late summer or early fall. Anecdotally, many farmers are getting one cut this year, Chartrand said.

He expects some farmers will sell part of their herds.

“We don’t want to lose these livestock producers,” he said.

He applauded the provincial government for a quick response to municipalities’ states of emergencies. Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp. (MASC) is providing funding through its AgriInsurance program and expediting claim payouts so farmers can quickly source livestock feed, the province announced last month.

Manitoba Agriculture staffers are hosting a drop-in session in Eriksdale Thursday to answer questions and highlight management options for dry conditions. Scheduled meetings like these are a regular occurrence and are meant to cover timely topics, a provincial spokesperson said.

“I just encourage producers to continue to talk to staff,” Minister Kostyshyn said.

Government is measuring the area of producers affected by dry conditions and waiting to see how rain will change the situation, Kostyshyn relayed.

“It’s really dire in certain parts of the province. It’s good to see some rain at start of August here.”– Carson Callum, general manager of the Manitoba Beef Producers

Mike Duguid is among the farmers to alter his operations in anticipation of drought. His Arnes farm was hit in 2021; this year, he’s clocking a moisture deficit.

“Every year, we grow something that always has an alternative for cattle feed,” said Duguid, who also chairs the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association.

His first cut was 30 to 35 per cent of a normal cut, putting the cattle’s winter feed in a deficit, he relayed. He’s looking to oats and peas for silage.

He applauded the recent change to MASC whereby yield appraisals are reduced, allowing for drought-stricken crops like wheat to be converted to livestock feed more easily.

“It helps immensely,” Duguid said.

Alternative feed options, supplementing cattle on pasture and using soybeans as forage are among the topics listed for discussion at Manitoba Agriculture’s Thursday drop-in session.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com