B.C. provides relief for ranchers as drought causes hay scarcity
Tuesday’s damp weather was a rare respite for Comox Valley cattle rancher Brad Chappell.
This summer's drought conditions have forced him to buy feed for his herd.
Normally this time of year his cattle could rely on grazing upon grass at his ranch, or he'd be able to grow enough hay himself to feed his cattle.
Neither option is doable this year because of bone-dry conditions.
“This is the toughest year for sure that we’ve seen,” said Chappell on Tuesday
The hot, dry weather has decimated hay stocks across Western Canada, making it hard for ranchers to find hay to feed their animals.
On Tuesday, the province announced it’s pairing up hay producers with ranchers in what it called a dating service of sorts.
“The program will help those who need hay by sourcing what’s available and matching them with sellers,” said B.C. Agriculture Minister Pam Alexis.
The scarcity of hay has also made it more expensive. Much of what's available is coming from the United States -- another tough truth the province is hoping to address. It persuaded Ottawa to provide more access to cash advances for struggling ranchers.
“Some producers may have immediate cash-flow challenges given the feed footages and higher than normal prices of feed,” said Alexis.
A few weeks ago, Chappell considered culling his herd. He’s since decided to bite the bullet and pay big prices for hay to feed his cattle.
He calls Tuesday’s announcements positive move, creating a streamlined system for getting hay to ranchers, but knows he's still very vulnerable to the weather.
“You know, we’ll hope for the best, that’s really all I can do,” said Chappell
With his hardest ranching year in three decades, he’s hoping August brings wetter, cooler weather.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Donald Trump knows the Canada-U.S. relationship 'in a way he didn’t before': Ambassador
Canada's ambassador to the United States — and co-lead of the federal government's Team Canada war room — says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has a different understanding of the bilateral relationship than he did during his first term in the White House.
Trump on Day 1: Begin deportation push, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and make his criminal cases vanish
Donald Trump has said he wouldn’t be a dictator — 'except for Day 1.' According to his own statements, he's got a lot to do on that first day in the White House.
Thinking of donating your brain to science? This is what they might do with it
Researchers say taking a peek inside a person's brain is as difficult as understanding the universe or discovering the ocean in its entirety.
Nova Scotia NDP candidate out after criticism for 'troubling' posts about Israel
Nova Scotia's New Democratic Party says a candidate criticized by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs for "troubling" and "damaging" social media posts is no longer running for the party in the Nov. 26 general election.
Vancouver architect hopes to tackle housing crisis with sought-after modular builds
A Vancouver designer is making waves in the architectural world with an outdoor modular building created to address the city’s unrelenting housing crisis.
Americans are feeling anxious — so they're 'doom spending'
Doom spending, or the practice of spending money to soothe fears about broader issues like politics or the economy, shows up everywhere from YouTube and TikTok videos to Reddit to personal finance discussions and data in surveys.
‘I just wanted to work again’: Finding a new job in your 50s comes with extra hurdles
Shannon Davidson was let go from her executive role at a marketing firm last year after a merger led to cuts. She knew she wasn't done with her career yet, but finding her next workplace in her mid-50s was a daunting prospect.
COP29 primer: Canada's priorities at the global climate talks, and the Trump impact
Canada could be an important consensus builder at this year's international climate negotiations, Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault said, while downplaying concerns that Donald Trump's presidential election victory could hamper the talks.
Jagmeet Singh joins picket line demanding better rights and wages for Kal Tire employees
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has thrown his weight behind a campaign fighting for better work rights for Kal Tire employees, joining a picket line of workers in Burnaby Saturday morning.