British Columbia rancher Suzanne Fradette had just got off the phone with a hay broker who had grim news amid an ongoing drought that has sent feed prices soaring: 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 bad out there.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e got a fairly small herd, like 140 head, but we are thinking it91裸聊视频檚 going to be about $100,000 this year for hay,91裸聊视频� said Fradette.

That91裸聊视频檚 a 30-per-cent jump compared to recent years, and a painful price for a relatively small ranch.

Fradette runs the Back Valley Ranch ranch with partner Jerry Steves in the Deadmans91裸聊视频� area between Savona and Cache Creek, about 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

Fradette said they are just 91裸聊视频渒eeping their heads above water,91裸聊视频� getting by one day at a time. Feeding their herd costs about $700 per day.

Fradette and Steves aren91裸聊视频檛 alone in their plight, with drought conditions pushing up feed prices across much of the country.

Agriculture Canada91裸聊视频檚 most recent drought monitor report says 76 per cent of the country91裸聊视频檚 agricultural landscape is either abnormally dry or experiencing moderate to severe drought this summer.

The B.C. Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness says most of the province remains at either Level 4 or 5 drought conditions, urging people and businesses to continue to conserve water, even as the first rain in more than a month falls this week on Metro Vancouver.

Low precipitation and historically early snowmelt have already pushed eight of B.C.91裸聊视频檚 34 water basins into the worst Level 5 drought category, when all efforts should be made to conserve water and protect critical environmental flows. A further 13 are at level 4, meaning harm to ecosystems and communities is likely.

Fradette said that in previous years, her phone would be ringing briskly with offers of hay to feed her livestock, but things have changed this year.

91裸聊视频淭his time, I91裸聊视频檓 trying to phone around about it. There is no hay,91裸聊视频� said Fradette.

Fradette said ranchers and farmers are struggling to get by.

91裸聊视频淚 always make the joke, I91裸聊视频檓 like, 91裸聊视频業 don91裸聊视频檛 want to be rich, rich. I just want to be change-my-oil-when-I-need-to rich.91裸聊视频� That91裸聊视频檚 our goal right there,91裸聊视频� said Fradette.

Andy Wolfe operates Mount Lehman Farm, a family-owned beef ranch with 140 head of cattle in Abbotsford, B.C.

He said that thanks to 91裸聊视频渉is farmer intuition,91裸聊视频� he planned ahead this year to find three different suppliers to secure enough hay to cover him until next year.

91裸聊视频淚 basically took all the supply I could get from about three different local suppliers where normally I would be dealing with just one.91裸聊视频�

Wolfe said loss of farmland to industrial usage led to shrinking production of hay, a problem compounded by the drought.

He said hay prices were skyrocketing. Large bales that cost $65 last year are now $130, said Wolfe, and even that price required negotiation with suppliers.

91裸聊视频淢ost people are paying way more,91裸聊视频� said Wolfe, adding that some ranchers had to downsize their herd because of the hay shortage.

Although Wolfe said he has enough hay to make it through the year, he91裸聊视频檚 already worrying about next year.

91裸聊视频淢y concern is if this year91裸聊视频檚 drought is going to affect next year91裸聊视频檚 prices,91裸聊视频� said Wolfe.

91裸聊视频淚 made it through this year and I am going to be OK this winter, but if the drought continues, I don91裸聊视频檛 know what I91裸聊视频檓 going to have to pay for hay. Next year is my biggest concern.91裸聊视频�

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