REGINA -- Snow still covers much of Saskatchewan’s crop land. The early start to winter is good news for snowmobilers, but bad news for farmers.
Some farmers weren’t able to get their crops off the field before the snow came, meaning it could stay in the ground until spring. With that in mind, snowmobilers are being asked to avoid fields this winter.
“[This goes] out to the snowmobiling public, be aware of your surroundings and if you don’t know, don’t go,” Chris Brewer, CEO of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association, said.
The Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association has partnered with Farm Credit Canada and Saskatchewan Crop Insurance to create signs warning snowmobilers that they’re entering a field with a crop still in the ground.
“We want to do as much as we can just to make sure that we’re protecting those crops for our local producers,” Dan East, Manager of Business Development with FCC, said. “That is the profit they make from their business and we want to respect that as much as we can.”
It’s been a hard year for farmers in Saskatchewan, from not enough moisture early in the season to now snow covered crops in parts of the province.
“From what I’ve been hearing, the yields are actually pretty good, it’s the quality that’s deteriorating every day that the crops are out there,” East said. “The people that I’ve been talking to say the quality is the one taking the hit and the longer it’s out there, the worse it’s going to get.”
Any farmers with crops still on their field that are interested in posting the signs can contact Farm Credit Canada and Saskatchewan Crop Insurance to get signs.
Signs will be available Nov. 25.
The main tip from the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association for riders is when in doubt, avoid the field and stick to the trails.
“They’re going to be available to all producers, so please take advantage of it, let’s get the signs out,” Brewer added. “Snowmobilers, let’s make sure that we abide by those signs and let’s enjoy winter.”
