Drought-reduced hay crop causes headaches for farmers

Some New Brunswick farmers are facing a hay shortage this year — and difficult decisions if they can't feed their cows.

Dry conditions since a spring that was overshadowed by record flooding have led to a decreased yield in hay, beef producer Philippe Morin says.

Morin, who owns a cattle farm in Saint-Joseph-de-Madawaska, said he's already down 200 bales after his first cut and the prospects for a second cut aren't looking good.

"[It's] a month later and it's not growing yet," said Morin.

"It's all dried up. It's not even green."

Richard Siddall, who owns a farm in Millerton, is also down 200 bales and hoping for a good second cut, but said he doesn't expect that will make up for the poor first one.

"Usually, the second cut, you wouldn't get the volume you'd get your first cut to begin with," Siddall said.

"I guess I'm hoping to get about 50 per cent of what we need in our second cut. I'd be thankful for that and only be looking for, say, 100 bales instead of 200 bales."

Lucky to have leftover hay

Paul Gaunce, a dairy farmer in Passekeag, about 30 kilometres southwest of Sussex, said the situation isn't as bad at his farm, but he's still about 100 bales short for his cows.

Luckily, for him, he has some surplus hay.

"I usually have extra leftover, and I did have extra over from last year," Gaunce said.

"Even though last year was dry too. So that helps me a little bit in a year like this."

Buy or sell?

If farmers can't get enough hay from their fields, they will have a difficult decision to make: either buy hay from another producer with surplus or sell livestock.

Morin said the price of hay has already gone up this year, making it too expensive for his operation, which means if a second cut doesn't materialize he'll have to sell some cattle.

"We don't have the money to actually buy hay," Morin said. "I have about 30 cows and I'll probably have to drop to 20, 22."

Gaunce on the other hand is in a different position.

He said he'd have to buy hay, which estimated would cost him about $8,000.

"You gotta keep enough cows to fill your quota," Gaunce said. "I expect I would purchase [hay.] It certainly does make it tougher."

Wild weather

Gaunce said the weather has much to do with the poor hay season, and for sometimes contradictory reasons.

"We had the big flood this year, so a lot of the lower ground was flooded, which obviously made the grass crop poor but also made it very slow and late," said Gaunce.

"Even though the low ground was flooded, the high ground was dry … that made the grass short too."

Why does one government do it, and we can't get any financial help.- Philippe Morin, Madawaska County farmer

Frank Jopp, a beef producer in Knightville, about 24 kilometres northeast of Sussex, said weather has had a different effect on his crop.

While he has plenty of hay, recently it's been too humid to harvest it.

"You don't seem to get two to three days in a row where you can make good hay," Jopp said.

Looking for help

Cedric MacLeod of New Brunswick's Cattle Producers said the organization is surveying producers to get a better idea of how big the problem is.

Any producers having trouble finding hay should call the association, he said.

"We've surveyed the entire province to see who's short on feed, who's long on feed," MacLeod said. "We're trying to make some connections there, so we can move that [hay] around."

After last year's less-than-stellar hay crop, farmers need help, Morin said.

Points to Quebec

He said the province should follow Quebec's example and offer some sort of assistance.

"If we look at the Quebec government, they gave money out last year and they're most likely going to do it again this year," said Morin.

"Why does one government do it, and we can't get any financial help."

"New Brunswick is working with the cattle sector to understand the full impact to inform decisions moving forward," said Shawn Berry.