Pea- to golf ball-size hail destroys crops across the Prairie Provinces

Several strong storms hit the Prairie Provinces dropping pea- to golf ball-size hail, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA).

CCHA member companies are investigating 1,3,40 claims of crop damage from storms that occurred August 12-18. Most of the severe hail hit farms across Saskatchewan.

Companies contributing to this report are Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Palliser Insurance, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, and Co-operative Hail Insurance Company.

“We are asking farmers to be patient as the number of claims has increased significantly in the last few weeks,” said Rodney Schoettler, Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance. “August is typically a lower-hail event month,” Schoettler said.

Here’s a look at storm damage across the region.

Alberta

Crops damaged: Alfalfa, wheat, barley, corn, oats, dry beans, onions, canola, fababeans, flax, lentils, mustard, peas, potatoes, rye, Timothy, sugarbeets, triticale

Communities impacted include: Milk River, Taber, Bow Island, Claresholm, Champion, Cayley, Bowden, Craigmyle, Alliance, Provost, Calmar, Hay Lakes, Mundare, Elk Point, Fairview, Nampa

Saskatchewan

Crops damaged: Wheat, barley, lentils, peas, canola, soybeans, and several other crops

Communities impacted include: Bethune, Central, Butte, Clavet, Colonsay, Davidson, Dinsmore, Duck Lake, Hudson Bay, Ituna, Kelliher, Laird, Landis, Langenburg, Loreburn, Melfort, Moosomin, Regina, Rosetown, Saskatoon, Shellbrook, Swift Current, Wadena, Wakaw, Wilkie, Yorkton

Manitoba

Crops damaged: Wheat, canola, corn, soybeans, peas, cereal crops, corn, canola, edible beans

Communities impacted include: Virden, Elkhorn, Reston, Cromer, Mcauley, Kola, Russell

For more information and past reports: cropinsuranceincanada.org.