Hay shortage forces tough choices for Simcoe County farmers

Warm weather and lack of rain means dry conditions and that's taking a toll on crops and farmers.

Ken Rounds owns and operates Rounds Ranch just outside Wasaga Beach, an entertainment-based farm that attracts thousands of visitors every year. But this season, drought conditions have left him facing a serious challenge.

“Our hay this year got decimated on our second cut, and our third cut was non-existent,” Rounds said. He estimates he’ll end up with only about 60 per cent of the hay he normally harvests.

That leaves him with two options: buy hay from outside the region at a much higher cost, or reduce the number of animals he keeps through the winter.

“Maybe just reduce the number of animals, maybe send them to the stockyard and not have as many we’re feeding through the winter,” he explained.

At the Ontario Stockyards in Cookstown, owner Mark Ferraro says the shortage hasn’t yet triggered a significant increase in animal sales. Still, he’s keeping an eye on the situation.

“We might see some calves come off pasture a little earlier,” Ferraro said. “Some areas are fine, but other guys aren’t that lucky. They’ve been dry all summer, crops are in sad shape, so they’re going to be tight for feed this winter.”

In Oro-Medonte, dairy farmer Andrew Eisses has also been affected but says he’s managing by making adjustments.

“We’ve had to make some management decisions where we are planting some fall crops with hopes of taking them off for feed, just to make sure we have enough extra inventory for next year,” Eisses said.

Farmers agree the shortage has been so severe that there will be little to no hay available for commercial sale this year. Many are now pinning their hopes on a return to normal conditions next season.