Sask. farmers feeling pressure from high fuel costs, spring rains

Just as gas prices hit an all-time high, some Saskatchewan farmers remain eager to get their crops in after a rain-soaked seeding season.

Lee Stanley, a farmer from Gainsborough, said farmers are feeling the pressure as gas prices continue to climb.

“Everything at the pumps here is about $2 per litre (and) diesel is about the same,” Stanley said Monday. “We get a bit of a break in tax for farm-dyed diesel, but it’s probably going to be replacement costs to fill the tanks again and it’s going to be kicking hell out (at) $2 per litre.

“We’re a small operation and we’re burning at least 500 litres a day. So it’s at least $1.000 a day.”

Gas prices are expected to hit a high of $2.12 per litre on Monday. Stanley said while fuel expenses are high, producers should be rewarded with grain prices if they make it through to harvest.

“It’s always a battle — and these are the highest expenses we’ve ever faced,” said Stanley. “But the grain prices are up.

“It’s the same old story of farming: If we get a crop, we’ll be laughing; we’ll be quite profitable this year, I believe. If you don’t get a crop, you’re going to be putting a lot of money out there with the hope you’re going to get something back in the fall.”

Farmers in southeastern Saskatchewan struggled to get seeding started this year because of stormy weather. As a small farming operation, Stanley said they’re running behind schedule, but close to getting the crop put in for the season.

“I talked to the fertilizer dealer (Sunday) and I think everybody is in about the same boat as I am,” said Stanley. “I’ll be about 80 per cent done (Monday). Everybody is getting close but they still have got a few days left to go.”

While the storms have come and gone for the past few weeks, the aftermath of rain lingers.

“We’re in pothole country down here, so you’re turning around a slough of water about every pass,” said Stanley. “It’s frustrating because that’s the ground that really produces you the best crop, but it’s not producing a whole lot but duck habitat this year.”

While the rain has put farmers behind in getting the crops in, the moisture has benefited the crops that are already seeded.

“The wheat’s up and the canola’s breaking ground,” said Stanley. “Everything’s off to a good start and we’ve got a lot better moisture than we did last year. Because we’re later this year, the burnoff chemical is working really good this year.

“The fields are clean and the weeds are down. If we get some sunshine and warm weather and the odd time some rain coming, we’ll be fine.”