Prairie Producers File Over 4,000 Crop Insurance Claims After Stormy July

A series of intense storms across the Canadian Prairies in July resulted in a significant number of crop insurance claims, with over 4,000 claims filed on more than one million acres of land, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA).

The CCHA investigated claims related to July storms, noting that the period between July 3 and 10 was "particularly destructive" for crop producers in Saskatchewan. Rodney Schoettler, CEO of Municipal Hail Insurance, described the week as seeing claims filed on one million acres, calling it the largest amount of damaged land he has witnessed in his 39-year career.

Communities such as Canora, Lloydminster, and Maple Creek in Saskatchewan were among the hardest hit. Crops like flax and soybeans were reportedly damaged in the province. In Alberta, storms affected dozens of communities, with corn, canola, and lentils being notable damaged crops. Westlock County, for instance, declared a state of agricultural disaster in mid-July due to excessive moisture and drowned-out crops.

Manitoba experienced fewer claims compared to its prairie counterparts, but communities like St. Pierre Joly, Brandon, and Hartney contended with severe weather. Lentil, oat, and pea plants were among the crops damaged in the province. The CCHA urged producers whose crops were affected and who have not yet filed claims to do so promptly as harvest approaches, warning that "as crops ripen, any hail or wind storms could lead to more severe losses ahead of harvest."

“

As crops ripen, any hail or wind storms could lead to more severe losses ahead of harvest.