ILDERTON, Ont. – On Ken Nixon’s farm, the story of this year’s Ontario wheat crop disaster is a story of disappearing dollars.
For as many as 8,000 Ontario farmers who gambled by not buying crop insurance, it also is a glimpse of a world without safety nets.
On his 1,200 acre farm north of London, Nixon expected the wheat crop would gross $150,000.
Instead, a combination of winterkill and fusarium infection cut his yield in half, reduced milling white wheat to feed quality and cut his wheat gross income to $75,000.
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Without crop insurance, “this is just a writeoff,” said the 30 year old, who farms with his father and brother in a 150-year-old operation.
Adjust plans
“That hurts. A loss that size won’t put us under but it sure will set back some goals. We’ll have to re-assess our priorities for awhile.”
Like most other affected farmers, the Nixons have soybeans and corn planted as well, reducing their dependence on wheat.
But in his part of the province, the corn crop is a few weeks behind schedule after a summer of strange weather.
“An early frost would kill us,” said Nixon, as he examined some sample cobs, looking for evidence that harvest can start soon. “I must admit, that is making me nervous.”
It is a familiar story across southwestern Ontario.
The wheat crop has been cut in half and largely reduced to feed.
At the Chatham offices of the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board, the harvest has been a headache of trying to sell an unexpected surplus of feed wheat, buying out contracts for milling wheat and juggling demands from millers for more supply.
On the farm, the fallout has been less complicated. They expect a sharp drop in income.
For Garry Straatman, who crops more than 400 acres of wheat with his father and brother at Watford east of Sarnia, the market loss could be $80,000, although crop insurance will pick most of that up.
For Dan Young of Wyoming, west of Chatham, the loss will be as much as $20,000 after a crop insurance payment.
“In all my years, I’ve never seen a crop this bad,” said the 66 year old.
The problem has been compounded because Ontario’s market revenue insurance plan will not pay out this year because the trigger level is lower than expected returns.
Despite the problems, Ontario agriculture minister Noble Villeneuve said last week farmers should not expect government help.
“We have a safety net in place,” he said. “If farmers are not participating in that and they are not insured, I can feel sorry for them and no more. There are no dollars for any more help.”
