In spite of a dry start to the summer, crop yields for cereal and oil seeds farmers were above average this year. Ranchers and hay growers on the other hand, did suffer from the hot, dry weather. Yields were down by about 50 per cent on hay and hay land, so a lot of people had to buy hay. Prices were above average and pastures were poor, which may have had an effect on cattle farmers, said Municipal District of Bonnyville (MD) director of agriculture and waste services Matt Janz. “That moisture started middle of July and that really filled in the crops that were there,” Janz said. “What I’ve heard is the farmers were pleasantly surprised.” On Aug. 11, the MD declared a State of Agricultural Disaster, joining over 20 municipalities across the province, despite the Agricultural Service Board recommending against it. “The disaster isn’t right across the MD,” Reeve Ed Rondeau said in a press release. The first 100 days of the growing season, starting on April 1, saw 75-100 mm of moisture, only half of the usual average. The Province of Alberta declared a state of agricultural disaster in late August. Despite the challenges to hay lands, Alberta Beef Producers Vice Chair Bob Lowe said 2015 has been one of the best years for beef farmers, with prices hitting all-time highs. While the weather didn’t have as large an effect as originally feared, a new danger lurks for canola farmers. Clubroot, a devastating soil-borne disease, was detected in the MD late August. The disease is resilient and hard to prevent - a single speck of contaminated dirt can pass the disease from field to field. In addition to cash crops such as canola, clubroot effects cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and mustard. The MD is in the midst of developing a clubroot policy to prevent the spread of the disease. The policy will come into effect next year. “The MD is going to adopt the best practices that are put forward from Alberta Agriculture,” Janz said. If there is a positive field, we’re going to be putting in that farmers do a one in four year rotation .” This means that positive fields will receive a pest notice, and will not be able to grow canola on the land until the fourth year. Once they reach the fourth year, if they want to resume farming canola they will be required to use a clubroot-resistant strain. “Council was kind of hesitant on doing that, but we feel that it’s going to help our farmers in the long run by slowing the spread,” Janz said. The MD will be taking a zero-tolerance approach,. “If they don’t adhere ... then we have the right to go in and destroy the crop.” Janz said. “It’s pretty severe.” Council will vote on the policy on Nov. 25. Source - http://www.coldlakesun.com