A farmer gathers hay in North Gower - 31 Jul 2012 Tony Caldwell.

31 August 2012

CP Offers Helping Hand to Hay East

Renfrew County Ontario - Canadian Pacific Railway is ready to help cart hay from Western Canada to troubled farmers in the Ottawa Valley, just like they did 10 years ago during the Hay West campaign.
 
Kevin Hrysak, a spokesman for CP, said they're willing to talk to Hay East organizers about sponsoring train cars that could carry hay to farms.
 
"CP hasn't received any inquiries as of yet, but our company is ready to discuss any options to move hay to the Ottawa Valley.
 
"It's very important to us. They're a major customer of ours," he said.
 
Feeding the West
 
In 2002, when much of Saskatchewan went through a severe drought, the Hay West campaign sent 712 railway cars and 161 transport trucks filled to the brim with hay to feed cattle in Western Canada.
 
CP and Canadian National Railway together covered the cost of nearly 200 train cars.
 
The Ontario government and private businesses helped sponsor the rest.
 
"Every railway car that we shipped out was paid for," said Wyatt McWilliams, a Navan farmer who organized Hay West.
 
He said where there's a will, there's a way, and there's very little that will stand in the way of farmers helping one another.
 
Renfrew County is one of the hardest-hit areas in all of Ontario, and that's where the need is greatest.
 
200 Affected
 
Donna Campbell, who works for the county's cattleman association, estimates there are about 200 farmers in her area who need feed.
 
Many farmers have had to sell their cattle for slaughter because they can't afford to feed them.
 
"Round bales of hay normally sell for $20 to $30, but they're as high as $80 right now.
 
"It's hitting the livestock farmers pretty bad," she said.
 
Campbell explains most farms are just starting to recover from the downturn caused by the mad cow disease outbreak in 1993, and this is affecting their bottom line.
 
She has hosted several town hall meetings to figure out which farms need hay the most.
 
While transporting hay from Saskatchewan won't alleviate all farmers' hardships, it will take away the sting of a dry summer.
 
"Getting the hay won't be enough to keep every farmer full of feed for the season until the spring of next year, but it would definitely be a help."
 
Mike Aubry.