Manitoba farmers struggling with dry fields

Cracked fields and short crops are the realities of farming this summer in Manitoba as a drought in some parts of the province causes serious problems for farmers.

Thorsten Stanze’s family has been farming since the 15th century in Germany, growing similar things to the cereals he now grows near Rosenort, Man. This year has been difficult for him.

“Extremely dry,” Stanze said. “It’s disappointing. You put a crop in with hopes that it will make a crop and then it disappears.”

Stanze said his grain field would typically be waist high by mid July and yield more grains. It barely brushes the tops of his ankles.

“We have cracks in the field. I don’t know how deep. I measured one a couple of weeks ago, actually six feet deep.”

He expects that field to be a total loss.

“Financially I think with crop insurance we will be ok but it's not fun," Stanze said. "You know you do all your work and then Mother Nature doesn’t play along.”

The drought has been even harder on farmers growing food for livestock. Lawrence Knockaert, the chair of the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association said the later start to the season and low amount of rain has left them with smaller yields. That’s forcing farmers to use leftover forage from the year before.

“There is (sic) guys with leftovers that they hung over from last year,” he said.

Knockaert said those leftovers are being used earlier than usual, depleting stores.

Trevor Hadwen is optimistic rain will come and help end the moderate drought. The specialist with Agriculture and Agriculture-Food Canada said the drought is affecting parts of southern and central Manitoba, something much of the prairies is experiencing.

”Manitoba's usually a little bit wetter than the rest if the prairies but we are seeing that Manitoba is getting impacted more and more by drought conditions,” said Hadwen.

Stanze says it’s too late for rain to help him with this year’s crops, but it can help for next year. But first - he's worried about winter erosion.

“The big discussion at home is 'do we work the land in the fall or we don’t work the land in the fall?'” Stanze said. “We just harrow? We just cut it? We know the problem because if it doesn't rain anymore and we don't have a lot of stubble or straw in the field it’ll blow.”

The Province of Manitoba said it won't know how much the drought might impact prices at the grocery store until a clearer picture of overall growing conditions emerges.

“It is too early to predict the crop and forage yields in Manitoba as moisture conditions over the coming weeks will have a significant impact on harvest,” said a statement from Manitoba Agriculture. “Food prices depend on a number of factors including how much is produced and is in inventory versus market demand.