Grasshoppers wreak havoc on crops

By Joan Janzen

Farmers in Alberta and Saskatchewan are watching the skies, waiting for much needed rain. But for some crops, it’s too late. Even a down pour of rain will no longer be able to revive the crops.

Randy Schneider, from Mendham farms in the Leader and Fox Valley region, and has observed the damage first hand. After spending a week at Cypress, he was disheartened as he observed the crops on the drive back home.

This is a durum crop in the Leader - Liebenthal area, that has been destroyed by grasshoppers and dry weather. SUBMITTED PHOTO

The crops were shrinking away, and the occasional cloud burst of rain the area received just wasn’t enough to help the crops. According to Randy, every field is going to be a crop insurance claim. It’s just been too dry for too long.

Ranchers were raking swaths together, but the brittle and dry swaths have little value to them. Randy noticed the crops were equally devastating in the Cypress and Medicine Hat region.

Farmers did spray their crops, which enabled them to come back; unfortunately the plants didn’t have enough vigour to push their way out of the ground.

Grasshoppers were a problem in last year’s crop as well, but Randy noted in 2022 the hoppers came after the crop was already established. This year the pests were cleaning up the crop as it came up out of the ground.