Lamont County declares state of agricultural disaster

Another Alberta county has declared a state of agricultural disaster because of a lack of rain combined with cool weather this past spring.

Grain and cattle producers in the County of Lamont, northeast of Edmonton, are affected.

John Chomiak, who raises cattle in the area, has seen a huge increase in the price of hay he uses for feed.

"I've purchased hay at $40 a bale and maybe $45 at times, but today, that same bale is $100 a bale and when you look at your bottom line profit-loss, you can't exist on that … so something has to give," Chomiak said Tuesday.

Producers of grain and oilseed may cut down their plants rather than letting them mature and use the crop as green feed so they have some feed for their animals, county officials said.

Lamont County council will lobby the provincial and federal governments for financial assistance.

Last week, the County of Camrose declared an agricultural state of disaster because of drought conditions.