The Rural Voice, 1998-09, Page 74BRUCE
Email: bruce@ofa.on.ca
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
44610th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9
519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
• The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce
County Farmers by the BCFA.
Although we have received some
rainfall as of early August, Bruce and
Grey Counties are still suffering the
effects of a severe summer drought.
Snowfall last winter was much less
than normal followed by an early, dry
spring. Then there were the long hot
and dry spells as May and June felt
more like mid-July. In the northern
part of the area less than one inch of
rain fell from mid-May to late July.
Ponds dried up, and dug wells ran out
of water. We have had reports of
springs, wells and creeks being dry
for the first time in living memory,
and emergency water deliveries are
up by five times the normal demand.
Crops have not matured, or have
been very light, with yields ranging
from 40 per cent to 60 per cent of
normal. Most farmers got a first cut
of hay, although for much of the area
it was below normal quality and
production, and very few got a
second cut, ending up with about half
the usual number of bales. As the
pasture ran out, the hay in storage
was being fed to supplement the
scarce supply of feed.
Lack of pasture has caused loss of
milk production and no gain on cattle
out on grass. Many farmers, facing a
winter without adequate feed, have
decided to sell some or all of their
livestock, in cattle and sheep sectors.
The rain that finally came in early
August is too little, too late. It may
make the country look greener, but it
won't put cobs on the corn at this
stage, or hay in the empty mow.
Wells and waterways will take quite
some time to recuperate, if the rain
proves to be sufficient. At the time of
BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION
OF AGRICULTURE
Directors' Meeting
Monday, September 28, 1998
8:00 p.m.
OMAFRA Boardroom,
Walkerton
Members are welcome to attend
70 THE RURAL VOICE
Drought in Grey -Bruce
writing, it looks like more hot, dry
weather ahead.
The Bruce County Federation of
Agriculture has been getting calls
from farmers asking if help is
available. By the time this article
reaches our members, new
developments may have occurred, but
at the publication deadline, these are
the actions we have begun, with the
support of the provincial OFA.
1. A committee of BCFA
executive members has been set up to
look at ways to improve the crop
insurance program for forage (hay
and pasture). Uptake on this
insurance has been very low, because
of problems in calculating yield, and
because rainfall records are averaged.
2. We are appealing to crop
insurance officials to allow farmers to
salvage for feed crops which have
been written off under the insurance
program. These crops would
normally not be harvested at all, but
we feel that under such dire
conditions to plow down any
nutrients is unacceptable.
3. We are asking farmers to
contact us with facts, figures and
other information that will help us to
draw a more accurate and complete
picture of the impact of the drought.
4. We have invited the minister of
OMAFRA, together with our MPs
and MPPs to tour the area and speak
to affected farmers.
5. We have gained much public
support, with media coverage of the
losses to farmers and livestock
resulting from drought. Local radio
stations and newspapers have been
most interested in telling the farmers'
story, as have the Toronto press, and
national radio and television.
6. The possibility of disaster assis-
tance is being looked into, including
research into how other jurisdictions
respond to crises of this nature.
We will continue to collect
information and data well into the
fall, as farmers are able to calculate
losses when cattle are sold or harvest
is completed.0
Gerrie Blake
OFA Field Representative
Grey -Bruce
The Walkerton OMAFRA office is
providing a hay listing service for
farmers In Bruce County.
Call 1-800-265-3023 for details
BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION
OF AGRICULTURE
ANNUAL/REGIONAL
MEETING
Friday, November 6, 1998
Guest speaker and location
to be confirmed
NOMINATION FOR THE BCFA AWARD OF MERIT
"For Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture"
Each year the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture presents an award to a person in
Bruce County who has made a significant contribution to the agriculture industry. If you
have someone you would like to nominate, please complete this form and return to our
office in Hanover. Nominations should be received at our office by October 30. The award
will be presented at our Annual Meeting on Friday, November 6.
I nominate:
Reasons for nomination:
Signature:
Please return to:
Bruce County Federation of Agriculture
446 10th Street, HANOVER, ON N4N 1P9
Or you may give your nomination to any township director