Lingering winter weather could have dire impact on farmers and ranchers
LETHBRIDGE – While the average Albertan is complaining about shovelling the white stuff, farmers and ranchers have other growing concerns about the continuing winter weather.
Farmers will be late getting into their fields, while ranchers are in the midst of calving season, and they’re losing calves to the cold, snowy conditions.
Local cattleman, Bob Balog, says the cow-calf people are having an extremely difficult time.
“The first thing that’s happened is they’re running short of feed – the hay has gone up to horrendous prices and so has straw. Central and northern Alberta farmers may have extra feed, but it takes a lot of money to truck it here, so feed is starting to run short.”