On August 18,2021,Starland County passed a motion to declare a State of Agricultural Disaster.
This decision was based on the impacts that extreme heat and prolonged drought conditions have had on crops, forages, and pasture throughout Starland County. County Council is aware of the hardships facing Starland County residents, and this decision is meant to raise awareness of the problems facing the agricultural industry both in our County and throughout the Province of Alberta.
Low growing season moisture and intense heat during critical growing periods have further depleted initially low soil moisture reserves. This has led to severe impacts across all sectors of agricultural production. Livestock production has been and will continue to be significantly impacted by shortages of surface water, significant decreases in pasture growth, and reductions in forage production. When coupled with the reduction in annual crop production in our County and throughout western Canada, the high cost of livestock feed could lead to substantial reductions in livestock breeding herds.
This Council recognizes the recent actions that have been taken by government, including the request to initiate funding under the AgriRecovery program, the inclusion of Starland County in the 2021 Livestock Tax Deferral prescribed regions, and the increase of the Low Yield Allowance threshold for salvage crops. We welcome any opportunity to further assist supporting our producers through this difficult period.
Thank you for your continued advocacy for Albertan producers dealing with these devastating conditions.