Producer Coping and Adaptation Responses to Weather Shocks and Stresses in Southern Alberta

The study identifies common extreme weather events in Southern Alberta, including the 2001 drought, 2002 flooding, and 2007 extreme heat. It analyzes short-term coping mechanisms, such as water diversion and crop insurance, and long-term adaptation strategies, including no-till farming, crop rotation, and technological upgrades. The report also highlights non-weather stresses like the BSE crisis and rising input costs, while noting a general dissatisfaction with government programs like CAIS.

• Both the Coaldale and Foremost regions experienced three major common weather extremes between 2000 and 2007: drought conditions in 2001, heavy rains and flooding in June 2002, and extreme heat and dryness in 2007.
• In the Coaldale region, producers coped with drought by diverting water to high-value crops like potatoes and sugar beets or by purchasing water rights, aided by a water sharing agreement that implemented an equal sharing of water regardless of license dates.
• Short-term responses to heavy rains and flooding in Coaldale primarily involved pumping water off the land and digging ditches, whereas Foremost producers often felt there was little they could do and simply reduced their movement on the land.
• Long-term adaptation strategies common to both regions include the adoption of reduced tillage or no-till practices, crop diversification, crop rotation, and shifting seeding and harvest schedules to take advantage of early season moisture.
• Producers in both regions identified significant non-weather shocks and stresses, including the BSE crisis, fluctuating commodity prices, rising costs for fuel, energy, and land, labour shortages, and the appreciation of the Canadian dollar.
• The Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization (CAIS) program was widely criticized in both regions for being overly complicated, difficult to navigate, and unpredictable in its payments.
• The National Environmental Farm Plan Initiative (NEFPI) was generally well-received and perceived as effective in increasing environmental awareness and providing incentives for sustainable practices.
• Technological advances, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and more efficient seeding systems (e.g., air drills), have been used to improve efficiency, reduce fuel and labour costs, and minimize soil disturbance.
• Informal knowledge sharing networks, such as daily gatherings at farm supply stores or producer-to-producer networks like Reduced Tillage Linkages (RTL), are considered critical for survival and adaptation.

APA

Medlock, J., & McCoy, A. (2008). Producer Coping and Adaptation Responses to Weather Shocks and Stresses in Southern Alberta. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/pcr_weather_shocks_alberta.pdf

Chicago

Medlock, Jennifer, and Andrew McCoy. Producer Coping and Adaptation Responses to Weather Shocks and Stresses in Southern Alberta. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2008. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/pcr_weather_shocks_alberta.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Medlock |first1=Jennifer |last2=McCoy |first2=Andrew |title=Producer Coping and Adaptation Responses to Weather Shocks and Stresses in Southern Alberta |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=March 2008 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/pcr_weather_shocks_alberta.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{medlock2008producer, author = {Medlock, Jennifer and McCoy, Andrew}, title = {{Producer Coping and Adaptation Responses to Weather Shocks and Stresses in Southern Alberta}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2008}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/pcr_weather_shocks_alberta.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }