The snow that hit Olds and area Tuesday and Wednesday will hit local farmers hard in the pocketbook, according to Richardson Pioneer inputs manager Kent Clifford.
The snow that hit Olds and area Tuesday and Wednesday will hit local farmers hard in the pocketbook, according to Richardson Pioneer inputs manager Kent Clifford.
He says the snow will downgrade the quality of crops, thereby resulting in lower prices.
For example, as of Wednesday afternoon, Hard Red Spring #1 with13 per cent protein, which had been worth $5.73 per bushel (bu) may now be downgraded to $5.13/bu.
"If it's really bad it may end up feed, which is $3.83/bu," Clifford says.
He says canola quality could fall from #1 worth $9/bu to #3 worth $7/bu.
Barley quality could plunge as well, resulting in similar price drops.
Warmer weather is forecast for the next few days. Unfortunately, that won't help crops now thanks to frost, Clifford says.
"It can't re-grow or start up again," he says. "It'll be done."
Clifford says the woes of farmers in the Olds area are compounded by the fact that this year, it was a late spring. As a result, they couldn't get on the land for a long time because their machinery would sink in the soft ground. That delay resulted in a very short growing season – especially given this week's snow.
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