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Sask. irrigators urged to make straw available for feed

WESTERN PRODUCER — Grain producers are again being encouraged to drop their straw at harvest so it can be baled and used by others for feed and bedding.

For the second straight year, the South Saskatchewan River Irrigation District No. 1 (SSRID) in Outlook, Sask., is co-ordinating a drop straw campaign for livestock producers who may face feed shortages this winter.

Rather than spreading it as chaff, irrigators are encouraged to sell their straw this fall.

“It’s community-minded farmers helping farmers,” said Matthew Lawless, a director at SSRID.

“Last year, with the drought, and then this year with the continuing drought in some parts of the province, irrigation land has more consistent and reliable sources of straw so irrigators are co-operating to provide a source of straw to stock growers who may require it for feed or for bedding to get their herds through the

The district has 125 irrigators with 46,000 acres under centre-pivot irrigation, much of it in the Rural Municipality of Rudy. Irrigation starts at Lake Diefenbaker, runs as far west as Outlook, as far east as Glenside and to the northern end of the RM.

The SSRID office is co-ordinating communication between farmers and livestock producers through the following process:

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Midwest Weather Shock: Flash Drought Turns Into Heavy Rain Threat This Week (2026 Forecast)

Video: Midwest Weather Shock: Flash Drought Turns Into Heavy Rain Threat This Week (2026 Forecast)

A rapidly changing Midwest weather pattern is unfolding in 2026 as areas that recently slipped into abnormal dryness and flash drought conditions are now facing the threat of heavy rain and repeated storm systems.

After a wet spring erased early drought conditions, regions across Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and northern Missouri have quickly dried out again since mid-to-late May. Soil moisture is dropping fast, and crops like corn and soybeans are beginning to feel the stress of rising temperatures and lack of consistent rainfall. Now, weather models show a major shift.

A developing system moving in from the Northern Plains is expected to bring multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, with the potential for locally heavy rainfall across the Midwest. While some areas may miss out, others could finally see much-needed relief from the growing dryness. In this video, we break down:

Current drought conditions across the Midwest

Why a flash drought is developing quickly

Timing and path of incoming storm systems

Which states are most likely to see heavy rain

How long this wet pattern could last

Will this rain end the drought or create new flooding risks? Watch the full forecast to find out.