Drought in agriculture

Production insurance is an affordable insurance program that supports agricultural producers to manage the risk of crop losses caused by weather perils such as hail, frost, excessive rain, fire, flooding, drought, and wildlife. In B.C., Production Insurance is offered for berries, grain, forage, grapes, tree fruit, vegetables and flower bulbs. 

Claims process:

• Impacted farmers that hold a production insurance policy, must contact their regional production insurance office or phone 1-888-332-3352 to open a claim
• Next, an insurance adjustor will inspect the crop to determine the loss
• It is important to not put the crop to another use (such as grazing, tilling under, removing, etc.) until an adjustor has visited the farm operation

AgriStability is a continuous program that provides assistance against severe drops in income margin of greater than 30%, based on individual farm’s income and expenses in previous years, and considers losses to stored crop, nursery plants and livestock in assessments.

Claims process:

• Impacted farmers that are enrolled in AgriStability, must contact their regional office or phone 1-877-343-2767 to open a claim
• Advance (interim) payments often possible within a few weeks of application

Following a disaster, the Province may declare certain events eligible for Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) funding to repair or replace damaged infrastructure.

Only the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) can determine if an event is eligible, and what assistance and expenses may be eligible.

Impacted farmers can visit the DFA page to determine if the disaster is eligible, and how to apply.

In most cases capital assets were insurable and covered by commercial insurance.

Impacted farmers should contact their commercial insurance provider and start the claim process.

In response to an extremely challenging year for agricultural producers in 2023, the potential need for support beyond the existing programs is being evaluated.

Currently, the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada are working with the assistance of the BC Cattlemen’s Association, to rapidly complete the assessments of the fires and drought, and examine how AgriRecovery can help respond.

Once these assessments are completed, both governments will expedite work to finalize an agreement on support programs.

The assessment is including direct assistance to livestock producers for added costs of obtaining livestock feed and water, transportation, herd rebuilding, veterinarian care, infrastructure repair.

In addition to the AgriRecovery work, British Columbia has taken steps with the federal government towards implementing:

• AgriStability Late Participation for farms and ranches that did not enroll in the program before the April 30, 2023, deadline
• An increase to the AgriStability Interim Payment limit from 50% to 75%. Advance payments can be obtained in as little as 10 business days
• A higher grain and oilseed crop write-off level, so that the crops that have been written off can be utilized for livestock feed

The ministries of Agriculture and Food and Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship are working together to enhance drought preparedness and improve communication with producers about how decisions are made during drought and how they can best prepare.

The Province is hosting between 20 to 30 in-person and online informational sessions for the agriculture sector throughout B.C. from mid-February through May 2024. Locations and dates are updated often, please check for more information.

The goal of these informational sessions is to:

• Improve awareness of supports (business risk management programs, infrastructure funding support programs, and mental health) available to agricultural producers to prepare for and reduce the impacts of drought
• Improve the understanding within the agriculture sector about B.C.’s legislative framework for water management including regulatory tools and decision-making under the Water Sustainability Act

Please see the Quick Guide to Drought Resources (PDF, 191 KB) , which provides information and guidance to help producers prepare for, and manage drought. 

When irrigation water is limited due to drought conditions, producers may need to change their cropping program to get the most yields possible from limited water:  Read alternate forage crops when irrigation water is limited (PDF). 

The primary impact of drought on a crop is a reduction in yield. Therefore, if drought is anticipated, you should plan your fertilizer program accordingly.  View drought impacts on soil fertility June 2015 (PDF)

Learn about tillage practices and crop residue management and how these affect the way water moves into and off of the soil: tillage and residue management and their effect on soil moisture June 2015 (PDF)

A factsheet that provides strategies and considerations for agricultural producers to rejuvenate forage and pastures impacted by drought:  Drought Resources for Berry Producers (PDF) August 2023

Key points on forage crops and effective water use:  Forage Crops and Irrigation Management (PDF)

The right management of limited water supplies can mitigate negative impacts of drought on alfalfa yield and quality: Irrigated alfalfa management under drought conditions (PDF) 

When irrigation water is limited due to drought, a decision needs to be made to irrigate all acres with reduced water, or part of the acreage with the full water required, leaving some acres as dryland. Read irrigation decisions with limited water (PDF) for information when making these decisions.

Key drought management tips (PDF)  assists irrigated forage crop producers to effectively plan and manage during drought conditions.  Learn how to make the most efficient use of limited irrigation supplies by planning how you manage during drought conditions.

Prolonged drought can place a strain on the water resources available to producers and may leave livestock with poor quality water, resulting in lower weight gains, sickness, and leading to herd reduction or movement.

• Drought resources for livestock producers (PDF, 99 KB)
• Water quality in livestock (PDF, 152 KB)

The B.C. livestock watering handbook provides livestock watering information for planning and constructing both summer and winter watering systems.

These two manuals help guide agricultural producers in the proper construction and maintenance of a dugout:

• B.C. Farm Water Dugouts October 2013 (PDF, 3MB)
• 2023 Pasture and Hay Rejuvenation Options (PDF, 234KB)

Why plan for drought if you irrigate? Unfortunately, drought can affect irrigated crop production, although with less frequency and impact than dryland production.  Learn about managing irrigated forage crops during drought (PDF).