Hail, strong winds damage Prairie crops

A series of storms left a path of destruction in all three Prairie provinces from Aug. 19 to 25.

More than one million acres were either damaged or destroyed by the storms bringing hail and strong winds, leading to more than 2,800 claims of crop damage, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association (CCHA).

“This was the biggest week for claims in August in the last decade,” said Rodney Schoettler of Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance.

Along with Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance, claims were also filed through Palliser Insurance, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, and Co-operative Hail Insurance Company.

“This was one of our busiest weeks, with multiple storms producing hail of all sizes, accompanied by big winds,” Scott McQueen of Palliser Insurance said.

CCHA members asked clients to wait patiently as companies processed claims and sent adjusters out to survey damage.

In Alberta, at least 23 communities were affected by the storms with damage to numerous crops: alfalfa, barley, dry beans, canola, chickpeas, corn, faba beans, lentils, mustard, oats, peas, timothy, triticale and wheat.

At least 24 communities in Saskatchewan saw damage to fields in surrounding areas, affecting all crops.

In Manitoba, 10 communities were affected, all in the western part of the province, with wheat, canola, corn, soybeans and peas affected.