LAC LA BICHE - Like many producers in the Lakeland region, Dwayne Burdek has been affected by dry conditions that have persisted in the region since last summer - and because of a low-snow winter, are expected again in the spring.
Burdek says his family-run agricultural operation in the Normandeau district of Lac La Biche County - about 80 kilometres north of St. Paul and 50 kilometres east of Lac La Biche - has been impacted, particularly the grain and crop production side.
“Our yields are down, and our prices are down,” he told Lakeland This Week during a recent temperature spike that saw the mercury rise to above zero in the middle of January.
Burdek said the biggest challenge for him is ensuring that there is enough feed for cattle to get through the winter.
“We’re constantly juggling our grain side with our cattle side to make sure we have enough feed,” he said.
Drought conditions, reduced precipitation and low snow-cover are weather factors the life-long farmer has been attempting to anticipate more and more in recent years. There have been a lot of give-and-take scenarios in recent years.
When there is a drought, Burdek explained, the grain side of his operation endures a significant loss, but crops that would normally be harvested for cash crops are instead used to make animal feed. This is still half-beneficial, he said, as crops that do not yield or mature like they should because of drought are better suited for this purpose.
Going through that, he said, the biggest problem is maintaining cash flow.
“You end up with a huge shortfall year to year depending on drought conditions,” he said.
Last summer, Burdek said, the first couple of months of the growing season were extremely dry and he was already planning some drought disaster strategies.
Rains that came along at the end of June were a welcome relief, and helped crops and plants take off and grow.
“We ended up with maybe average or a little below average year,” he stated.
But even when the moisture does come, Mother Nature doesn’t always sprinkle it evenly. During the most recent harvest season, Burdek said, the west side of the municipality was wet while on the eastern side where he lives, things were dry.
New year, new challenges
Burdek said the way 2024 is starting out - with unseasonably warm weather, no snow cover for runoff, and not enough water in dugouts, it’s not looking promising.
One good thing about unreliable weather, however, is that it’s unreliable - so moisture could be coming in late winter storms or early spring showers, and that could quickly improve the outlook.
“There’s no ground moisture to speak of right now to get us through the growing season, but if you get timely rains, things can turn around… and most farmers are industrious enough to manage through it,” he said.
Plans for all outcomes
What happens if these drought conditions continue into spring and summer and local fields and pastures don’t receive enough precipitation? There’s plan B, or C, D or E, said Burdek.
If there is no pasture to go to, he says, many producers will have no choice but to send their cattle to market to be slaughtered. He explained that producers in the region plan their feed resources until June. Producers with any amount of cattle have already planned for such a contingency, either by purchasing feed or modifying their feeding systems to get through the winter and make it to June 1.
“If the grass doesn’t flush up by June 1, and if it doesn’t rain in April or early May and the grass doesn’t come, then cattle will go to market,” he stated. “If you can’t feed them, you can’t keep them, it’s that simple.”
Regarding crops, Burdek says it’s crucial to plan ahead. This includes sourcing seed, locking in fertilizer, and ensuring that crop inputs are in place. He added that seeding usually starts in early May, but that is largely dependent on weather and soil temperature.
“There’s not a farmer I know in my district right now that’s not making his cropping plans,” he stated.
