Hail damage reported across the prairies

Jul 7, 2020 | 3:00 PM

Farmers reported damage to multiple crops after storms produced pea-to-quarter size hail in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA) said the storms occurred from mid to late June.

CCHA member companies are investigating about 100 claims of crop damage during the time period.

Darryl Tiefenbach with Additional Municipal Hail said farmers reported damage to crops at Beechy, Lucky Lake, Wolsley, Indian Head and Neudorf, Saskatchewan.

Scott McQueen, of Palliser Insurance Company, said farmers reported light to heavy damage to multiple crops after a storm dropped half-inch hail in Saskatchewan as well as northern and southern Alberta.

“We are seeing light damage to cereals and damage to both canola and peas,” McQueen said in a media release. “We are working on the June 13 storm in Alberta. We are seeing some heavy damage to some peas and light to medium damage on the canola.”

Beth Shewkenek, of AG Direct Hail Insurance, said she also received reports from farmers about crop damage in Alberta after a series of storms.

Murray Bantle, of Cooperative Hail Insurance Company, said farmers in Manitoba reported light to heavy damage to wheat, canola and beans. The storms hit southern Manitoba from La Riviere Plum Coulee to Steinbach.

He said farmers in Saskatchewan reported light to heavy damage to cereals, canola and peas at Borden, Lacadena, Plenty and Swift Current.

CCHA President Rick Omelchenko said wind damage was also a factor when adjusting the crops.

“There is a lot of wind damage because the hail is coming down faster, harder and at more of an angle. When hail comes straight down it breaks the plant over. If it’s at more of an angle it chops off the plants, so the wind is a big factor in two ways.”

There were a lot of reports of hail damage last year. Omelchenko said this year is already setting up to be as bad.

“It seems to be on the same track. We’re getting hail storms almost every second or third day somewhere on the prairies,” Omelchencko said.

This report does not include the storm that moved through the province last Thursday.

alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF