Eastern hay arrives in the West of Canada

Published 2021년 9월 16일

Tridge summary

The Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), a volunteer organization primarily aiding homeowners affected by natural disasters, has initiated a new program, Hay West, to assist drought-stricken farmers in Saskatchewan by transporting alfalfa-timothy hay from Ontario. This initiative is a reciprocal response to the support Saskatchewan provided during Ontario's 2012 drought. MDS aims to deliver 50 truckloads of donated hay this fall, with transportation costs subsidized by local trucking companies and MDS covering the initial costs. Recipient farmers will be selected based on need, paying a small fee per pound to help defray costs, with donations also accepted. The program encourages farmers to donate surplus hay from Ontario's abundant crop and offers a way for those in need on the Prairies to apply for assistance.

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Original content

A light sprinkle of rain fell as the first two truckloads of alfalfa-timothy hay from Ontario arrived at Merlis Wiebe’s farm northeast of Osler, Sask., on Sept. 10. They are part of Hay West, a new program from Mennonite Disaster Service to help drought-affected farmers in Saskatchewan. The initiative is a repeat of 2012 Hay East, which saw Saskatchewan farmers send hay to drought-stricken livestock producers in Ontario and parts of Quebec through MDS. “We really appreciate what Saskatchewan did for us at that time. They donated a lot of hay and we felt (we could return) the deed now that it’s dry in Saskatchewan,” said Henry Weber, an MDS volunteer and retired beef producer from Heidelberg, Ont. “It’s our Christian duty to help each other.” The program, which has been organized between the Ontario and Saskatchewan chapters of MDS, is similar to a national program, also called Hay West, that was organized by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and is shipping hay from the ...

Source: The Western Producer