Drought relief coming to Alberta livestock producers

Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) is working closely with Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), and the Governments of Alberta and Canada, as they develop a process for drought relief funding, as part of the AgriRecovery response for the province.

We expect to see applications open in September, and will share the details as soon as we can.

As outlined in more detail here, producers can start to prepare for CALFA applications by signing up for AFSC Connect and direct deposit; preparing an inventory of breeding females as of August 6, 2021; keeping and assembling records of drought-related expenses; and following both ABP and AFSC.

The AgriRecovery response is being called the 2021 Canada-Alberta Livestock Feed Assistance Initiative, or CALFA, for short.

Moisture update

Rain events brought much needed moisture to the province this last week, with over 10 mm to the majority of Alberta from August 17 to August 24. We’re also seeing cooler temperatures, with some areas recording temperatures below freezing (and nothing above 27C since August 22).

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Read more, and see the above maps in more detail, via the Government of Alberta’s Agricultural Moisture Situation Update for August 24.

Crop update

Moisture from August 10-24 will replenish soil moisture reserves, according to the latest Alberta Crop Report. Crop conditions are up slightly, with 19 percent of reported crops in good to excellent condition, compared to 18.2 percent as of August 10.

Harvest is well underway, with 16.5 percent of major crops combined, and 30-60 percent of second-cut hay now baled.