By Alice McFarlane

Hail damages crops as harvest starts on the prairies

Aug 10, 2020 | 3:04 PM

MELFORT, SASK. – Storms produced high winds and damaging hail in Western Canada as harvest begins.

There were more than 300 claims of crop damage from July 23 to 31.

The latest hail report from Canadian Crop Hail Association said storms dumped half-inch size hail across the Prairies.

CCHA President Rick Omelchenko said there was minor to medium damage mostly in central and southern Saskatchewan.

There was damage to a variety of pulses, oilseeds and cereals in Battleford, Cutknife, Rockhaven, Unity, Wilkie, Pontiex, Eastend, Foam Lake and Wadena.

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Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation said storms damaged canola, wheat and soybeans near Plumas and Austin where the storms came from Saskatchewan and split with one going North over the lakes and the other heading South toward Morden.

Agriculture Financial Services Corporation said storms damaged crops in the Alberta communities of Dogpound, Crossfield, Airdrie, Irricana, Drumheller, Calgary, Gleichen, Consort, Provost and Rumsey.

Omelchenko said for farmers who have had hail damage and have started combining it becomes even more important to leave some of the crop in order to do a proper assessment.

“If you leave an adequate check strip, the better adjusters can assess the damage or call your CCHA representative company for details and they will tell you for sure what is adequate,” he said.

It has been a busy hail season. Omelchenko said adjusters are currently working on the fields damaged in the July 25 storm.

“They’re working as fast as they can but I feel they are on track for this time of year,” he said.

Omelchenko said claims were slowing down but the recent storm in Virden will mean adjusters will be busy in southwest Manitoba.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF