| | Preparedness Actions
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The preparedness strategy outlined in the Agriculture Drought and Excess Moisture Risk Management Plan, focuses on year-round actions, especially during near normal times, to increase the level of readiness of the agricultural community and government to respond to the next drought or excess moisture event.
In order to be prepared when extreme moisture conditions occur, farm managers make the decision to use, or not to use, a number of mitigation tools as best fits their risk management plan.
In addition to implementing some of these actions, insurance programs can serve as the first line of defense against agricultural production losses due to drought or excess moisture.
The following describes preparedness actions that may be undertaken.
| Action | Agent |
| Goal: Actions before, during, and after drought or excess moisture are coordinated and effective. |
| Participate in AFSC insurance and risk management programs. | Producers |
| Continue to provide AFSC insurance and risk management programs. | AFSC |
| Continue to review the suite of risk management products. | AFSC |
| Assess risk/impact of drought/excess moisture to individual operation. | Producers |
| Determine and develop mitigation strategy/modified practices/innovation for addressing the assessed risks. | Producers |
| Develop secure water supply infrastructure to improve water supply security. | Municipalities and individual water users |
| Improve agricultural industry water conveyance efficiencies. | Irrigation Districts, Municipalities, and individual water users |
| Develop and use risk assessments for use in water development planning, such as Long Term Water Management Plans and Environmental Farm Plans. | Producers |
| Goal: Producers are able to manage periodic drought and excess moisture conditions; are prepared and less vulnerable to significant departures from normal. |
Provide relevant and accessible drought and excess moisture preparedness and management information through:
Ropin’ the Web, Alberta Environment and Parks - Water, and other websites; newspapers, including AgriNews; television and radio; and seminars and school programs. | Alberta and federal government agencies |
| Package existing information on drought management and water conservation to target specific agriculture sectors under various drought conditions. |
| Promote water conservation to irrigation districts and private irrigators. |
| Encourage the development of secure long-term water supplies. |
| Form partnerships with the agricultural community, seed plants, and others to promote water conservation and drought management. |
| Package existing information on excess moisture management to target specific agriculture sectors under various excess moisture conditions. |
| Goal: Producers are able to manage periodic drought and excess moisture conditions; are prepared and less vulnerable to significant departures from normal. |
| Select appropriate crop types and varieties, herbicides/pesticides/fertilizers, make appropriate decisions about timing of planting/harvest, infrastructure choices like type of machinery and buildings. | Individual producers
Agricultural industry organizations |
| Provide technical and financial assistance to secure water supplies or increase water use efficiency through various programs, including the Growing Forward 2 Water Management Programs. | AF |
| Although parameters of highest importance are yield and quality, testing of new cereal plants materials includes the assessment of genetic traits that reflect tolerance to drought, pests, flooding, disease, and water use efficiency. | AF |
| Goal: Government planning and preparedness for drought and excess moisture is consistent. |
| The DEMAG communicates and coordinates preparedness information, where possible, including timely meetings and correspondence. | Alberta Government and Industry partners |
| Increase access to alternate water supply infrastructure, such as truck fill stations. | Municipalities |
| Ongoing monitoring, evaluation and reporting of precipitation and soil moisture conditions.
| AF
AEP |
| Farm Flooding Preparedness Information is maintained by AF:
| AF |
Flood information is maintained by the Federal Government:
Floods – What to do? | Government of Canada |
| Water management infrastructure is operated to mitigate both drought and flood risk. | AF, AEP, and
Irrigation Districts |
| Infrastructure development in floodways is appropriate. | Municipalities |
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