Sorry to mention that this season has not been very good for most operators and farmers in Alberta. Wide spread drought conditions persist in the majority of the province and its looking like there will be some complete crop failures in the dryland areas. Some of the irrigated crops are having a tough time with the extended extreme high temperatures in Southern Alberta, potatoes are having a tough time developing tubers and canola are being blasted. If an operator does have some spraying to accomplish, they’re being hindered by forest fire smoke from Northern Saskatchewan and BC. Visibility on the ground has been variable from 10 miles down to ½ mile in smoke. The challenge is deciding when its safe to fly as the smoke sometimes come in waves of variable thicknesses.
On a lighter note, the 4A’s are changing their venue for 2021’s annual conference, we’re going to hold it in Lethbridge at the Coast Lethbridge Hotel & Conference Center. After decades of trekking to Red Deer every November for the conference, I hope I remember to turn left and not right when leaving the hanger for the conference.
Pat Stinnissen
President, AAAA
