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: B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 bad out there.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got a fairly small herd, like 140 head, but we are thinking itB次元官网网址檚 going to be about $100,000 this year for hay,B次元官网网址� said Fradette.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 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 DeadmansB次元官网网址� area between Savona and Cache Creek, about 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.

Fradette said they are just B次元官网网址渒eeping their heads above water,B次元官网网址� getting by one day at a time. Feeding their herd costs about $700 per day.

Fradette and Steves arenB次元官网网址檛 alone in their plight, with drought conditions pushing up feed prices across much of the country.

Agriculture CanadaB次元官网网址檚 most recent drought monitor report says 76 per cent of the countryB次元官网网址檚 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.B次元官网网址檚 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.

B次元官网网址淭his time, IB次元官网网址檓 trying to phone around about it. There is no hay,B次元官网网址� said Fradette.

Fradette said ranchers and farmers are struggling to get by.

B次元官网网址淚 always make the joke, IB次元官网网址檓 like, B次元官网网址業 donB次元官网网址檛 want to be rich, rich. I just want to be change-my-oil-when-I-need-to rich.B次元官网网址� ThatB次元官网网址檚 our goal right there,B次元官网网址� 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 B次元官网网址渉is farmer intuition,B次元官网网址� he planned ahead this year to find three different suppliers to secure enough hay to cover him until next year.

B次元官网网址淚 basically took all the supply I could get from about three different local suppliers where normally I would be dealing with just one.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淢ost people are paying way more,B次元官网网址� 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, heB次元官网网址檚 already worrying about next year.

B次元官网网址淢y concern is if this yearB次元官网网址檚 drought is going to affect next yearB次元官网网址檚 prices,B次元官网网址� said Wolfe.

B次元官网网址淚 made it through this year and I am going to be OK this winter, but if the drought continues, I donB次元官网网址檛 know what IB次元官网网址檓 going to have to pay for hay. Next year is my biggest concern.B次元官网网址�

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