Flooded Manitoba cattle ranchers downsizing to hang on

When Arvid Nottveit looks out over what used to be a healthy hay field, he now sees cattails and lake water creeping up in its place.

"This is the new lakeshore," he said. "It's here. I don't know how to get rid of it."

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The Lake Manitoba beef producer has tried pumping it out, and has cattle on rented pasture, but Nottveit estimates he has taken a financial hit of $60,000 this year because of encroaching flood water on his ranch at Peonan Point.

Nottveit said he's lost about half his pasture — and has downsized his herd — due to flood water over the past few years.

"The cattle have to get fed regardless of what a guy's personal situation is," he said.

Impact of two floods in 4 years still felt

It's a similar story for other beef producers near Lake Manitoba, who have been hit with two flooding events in the past four years, when water diverted north of Portage la Prairie flooded producers' properties.

Now, as winter draws closer, the organization representing beef producers in Manitoba says some ranchers are facing a feed shortage. Others may leave ranching altogether.

"We, as an organization, are starting to get frustrated," said Heinz Reimer, president of the Manitoba Beef Producers. "We're definitely hearing of producers that are talking that if they can not find feed or so forth they're going to leave the industry."

​Reimer said some cattle have been moved to higher ground, but producers still need help finding feed.

His organization is also asking for help from the federal government and a long-term water strategy from the province, which would include building another outlet for flood water out of Lake Manitoba.

"We can not keep doing what we're doing right now," said Tom Teichroeb, a rancher near Langruth, Manitoba.

He, too, is renting pasture this year because of flood water.

Province mulls solutions

Provincial agriculture minister Ron Kostyshyn said the province is working on recovery programs with the federal government, looking at a controlled outlet out of the lake, and is also putting $50,000 towards a watershed study.

"I want to assure you, we are being very proactive of trying to address the issue," he said.

As for the feed shortage, Kostyshyn said his department is trying to connect crop producers with beef producers.

Government officials said this year, the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp. introduced a new forage program that provides better coverage with lower premiums compared to the previous Tame Hay program.

Under the new program, producers can choose a "harvest flood option" that can compensate them if their coarse hay fields are too wet to harvest.

As well, the province says it has a Hay Disaster Benefit, which is triggered when there is a widespread forage shortfall that affects more than 20 per cent of producers, and a Forage Restoration Benefit that compensates producers when their tame forage crops are damaged by excess moisture.

'Hurry up and do it'

It all can't come soon enough for Nottveit, who is going to buy some feed and stretch the hay he has through the upcoming winter.

"I wish if they were going to announce a program that they would get up, hurry up and do it," he said.

Nottveit said it will take about three dry years before his hay production returns to normal.  

But he's not willing to leave his ranch just yet.

"I have a history here. I know how good it was and I'm not ready to let go of that yet," he said. "It's hard to walk away."