Freight a factor in donations | Organizers hope truckers will volunteer to haul hay at reduced rates
Joel Miller believes the tough times that eastern Canadian farmers faced this year because of drought are sure to hit him someday.
That’s why the young farmer from Avonlea, Sask., and newly minted mayor of the village, donated a truckload of hay to the HayEast 2012 campaign.
It arrived in Ontario last week and was split between a sheep producer and a beef producer.
Miller said the decision to donate was made after hearing about the campaign and looking at his hay stocks.
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Production has been excellent after two wet years in his area.
“I sent 30 bales for now, and I guess I’ll send more if they can get the railways figured out,” he said while loading two trucks destined for the United States.
“I’ve got more alfalfa in production than I need for my own use.”
Freight is the biggest factor determining whether he sells hay south or donates it to Eastern Canada.
“Most loads to the states are one-and-a-half times the cost of the hay for freight, up to two times, probably,” he said.
He estimated his donated load was worth $1,300 to $1,400. There was no freight cost because a trucker took it on a back haul.
HayEast organizers are hoping more trucks will volunteer to haul the hay for free or at a reduced rate. They also hope the railways will do the same.
Agrium donated $20,000 last week to help pay to transport hay from farms in Saskatchewan and Alberta to rail sites. It is the first corporation to donate to the campaign.
When eastern Canadian farmers organized HayWest in similar circumstances 10 years ago, the federal government, Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway all contributed, and companies in Eastern Canada raised $110,000.
Miller said he expects that his friends and neighbours would be willing to spare some hay if they could get it to Ontario.
Miller is selling square bales into Montana, Nebraska, Texas and South Dakota because farmers there are also coping with extensive drought.
“They’re even starting to take round bales,” he said.
He has shipped 1,400 round bales south as well as 2,500 square bales with a neighbour.
He said governments could make it easier for hay to move to drought-stricken areas. Round bales are tough to move because of restrictions on load dimensions, and some of the rules could be relaxed in emergency situations.
Miller said he could have made money on the hay he donated.
“Yeah, but I also look at it that I had probably 1,800 round bales sitting from last year that I didn’t know what I was going to do with,” he said.
Besides, what goes around comes around.
“I’m sure we’ll be in a drought again someday.”
