Hay donations wanted from district farmers

The drought that has affected farmers in western Canada for three years might receive some much needed help from district farmers.
While farmers are busy baling hay now, they might also be asked to donate some to drought-stricken cattle in the west.
Emo council has been recently looking at donating hay bales to be transported by rail to the west.
“It’s still in the infant stage,” said Emo Reeve Russ Fortier, ”but it would help them immensely.”
Fortier and council are looking at the plausibility of transporting bales, and Fortier has talked to Emo research station manager Kim-Jo Bliss about the details.
“We’re looking at getting five or six bales of hay from each farmer in the district,” she said.
Fortier said the logistics are quite difficult, considering the average bale of hay weighs 1,500 lbs. Getting them transported from area farms to trains will be difficult, but it is desperately needed by farmers elsewhere.
Other communities in Ontario and Quebec have donated hay in the past that is then disbursed by the Saskatchewan and Alberta Ministries of Agriculture.
The two provinces are now attempting to donate 500 tonnes of hay to farmers in the west. Farmers and politicians in eastern Ontario and western Quebec recently began a “One for the Road” campaign to raise donations of money and hay.
The effects of drought are cumulative in nature. It can cause farmers to start using hay intended for winter in the summer, premature livestock herds are then sold at below market and there is then very little hay for cattle to survive the winter.
The western drought is now in its third year.
On July 17, the Alberta government announced an aid program for farmers across the province in specialized drought aid.