Councillors in an Alberta community have declared an agricultural disaster.

On June 14th, Stettler County Council made the declaration after weather conditions dating back to the winter forced their hand.

They say a very light snow pack with no run-off combined with an early and extended heat wave and no moisture, are the reasons.

Stettler is the first municipality in Alberta to declare an agricultural disaster this year due to drought.

Around this time in 2022, four communities – Cypress County, Cardston County, Taber and Willow Creek, had already made similar declarations.

Counties declare agricultural disasters as a tool to make the provincial and federal governments aware of what’s happening in that community.

However, these local declarations don’t unlock emergency funding programs.

That only happens if the provincial government makes an ag disaster declaration.