FCC announces support for producers struggling due to the drought

Jul 26, 2023

The heat wave this week has temperatures ranging from 30 to 38 in parts of the prairies.

The heat continues to have an impact on crop and pasture conditions that have already been suffering from dry conditions and pest problems like grasshoppers and gophers.

The heat is also withering away at producer returns as the crop struggles in the field, leaving some producers expected to experience a cash shortfall.

On Monday, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) announced that it will be working with producers - crop, and livestock - that may be experiencing financial hardships.

Shannon Weatherall, FCC's vice president of operations says they'll be working with customers on a case-by-case basis.

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Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?