As the harvest season draws near in central Alberta, Kevin Bender is busy in his workshop west of Sylvan Lake preparing his combine, augers, and grain bins for what appears to be a promising yield.
“It’s approaching rapidly,” Bender remarked. “We are working to get everything in order so that we are prepared for the harvest when it arrives.”
Bender, a grain farmer whose family has operated on approximately 526 hectares for over 35 years, witnessed the June rains rescue what initially seemed like another dry season.
“If we hadn’t received that rain, the outcome would have been different,” he acknowledged. “The rainfall in June truly made a significant impact.”
According to the most recent crop report from Alberta, major crop yields in central Alberta are expected to surpass their five-year average by 23 percent and be 20 percent higher overall provincially.
David Lee, the manager of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s National AgroClimate Information Service, acknowledged the strong yields. He pointed out that while the moisture was advantageous for some farmers, it led to catastrophic consequences in northeastern Alberta.
In mid-August, the M.D. of Bonnyville declared an agricultural state of disaster following nearly 600 millimeters of rainfall during the growing season. By August 21, nine municipalities had declared agricultural disasters due to excessive moisture, including Beaver County, Westlock County, Sturgeon County, and central Wetaskiwin County.
Lee highlighted the abnormal precipitation levels in certain areas, with some regions experiencing 175 to 200 percent above normal amounts of rainfall.
Despite the possibility of changing conditions with additional heavy rainfall, Lee expressed optimism, stating that the forecast does not predict any substantial rain. He expects normal precipitation and above-average temperatures for September, October, and November, indicating a favorable outlook for the harvest.
For Bender, farming in recent years has been marked by unpredictability. He noted that while 2024 was his least productive year, 2025 yielded his highest production in his farming career. Looking ahead, he anticipates that 2026 will fall above average.
Jason Lenz, a farmer and Alberta Canola board member southwest of Bentley, emphasized the need to replenish sub-soil moisture despite the favorable rains this year. He expressed that drought conditions have not entirely dissipated.
The year’s story, according to Lenz, is the increased rainfall compared to recent years. He sympathized with producers in areas where fields were inundated or left unplanted.
Dwayne Kalinski, a grain and cattle producer in the Bonnyville area, lamented the excessive moisture, which has led to crop losses. He anticipates significant crop damage, with insurance already writing off a portion of his crops.
Caleb Fagnan, operating a cow-calf operation near Bonnyville, highlighted the challenges posed by the flooded fields and the need to supplement feed for livestock during the winter months.
Bender emphasized how the financial fluctuations between dry and wet years directly impact farm decisions, with poor crops necessitating delays in equipment upgrades.
Kalinski and other farmers in the Bonnyville region are uncertain about salvaging their crops by fall if the weather pattern does not change.
In an update on August 21, Kalinski mentioned that a week of warm, dry weather has helped lower standing water levels and assisted in crop maturation. The success of late crops will depend on avoiding damaging frost in the upcoming month.