THE statistics speak for themselves. Only 12.24 million tonnes of wheat
is estimated to be harvested this year in Western Canada, the smallest
milling wheat crop since 1974. The five-year average is 18.33 million
tonnes.
As of last week, Saskatchewan had received more than 19,000 insurance
claims for drought, hail, grasshoppers and frost. Almost 800 claims are
flooding the insurance offices daily. In a normal year, about 3,500
claims would arrive for the year.
Alberta has already received more than 13,000 claims for failed crops
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and sun-scorched pastures.
As it enters its second or third year for some farmers, the drought is
generating national media coverage and goodwill across the country.
It has been touching to see eastern Canadian farmers offer hay to their
western counterparts and gratifying to see the railways donate cars to
deliver the hay to drought-ravaged areas. CN has donated 97 cars and CP
90 cars, costing each company about $500,000.
There are proposals for farm aid concerts, people have offered to adopt
horses that face slaughter and urban dwellers have even volunteered to
save lawn clippings for the cause.
The drought has helped bring out the best in people. Even the prime
minister, rarely atuned to farm issues, was moved.
“It is farmer to farmer, it is family to family, community to
community, Canadian to Canadian,” Jean Chrétien said last week in
Smiths Falls, Ont.
But the drought has also brought out the worst. Hay bales and grain
have been stolen from ditches and fields. There are accusations of
price gouging.
Some say the high priced bales are a reflection of supply and demand,
with price rising to what the market will bear. But outrageous prices
reflect short-term greed that will hinder the long term viability of
the cattle and forage industries.
Meanwhile, some politicians are making political hay, looking for photo
opportunities as in the case of Chrétien.
To its credit, the federal government has offered $250,000 towards the
Hay West cause, for fumigation of hay, an office and equipment, and a
toll-free line to help people donate feed. But the government could and
should do much more.
Instead of trying to steal the spotlight from generous eastern farmers,
federal politicians should recognize this opportunity to put into
practice one of the benefits of confederation.
When one part of the country suffers natural disaster, the rest helps
out. There is no talk about 60-40 cost splitting. Farmers and many
other Canadians from coast to coast see this. Why doesn’t the federal
government?
While welcome rains fell last week, the drought is far from over.
Western farmers are accepting a helping hand, with gratitude, but
charity will not be enough to meet the challenges of the months ahead.
A more serious response from government is needed.
