As heat waves, smoke warnings, and fire bans continue to plague our area this summer, these dry conditions can make it difficult for farmers to find suitable grazing land for their livestock.

Lacombe County wants to help with that by hopefully expanding their grazing potential for an additional week or two.

At their most recent county meeting, they approved a motion to temporarily allow the grazing of livestock in ditches.

Agriculture Fieldman with the County Dion Burlock says exceptions like this are made during times of overly dry conditions.

“Certainly producers can utilize the roadsides along their property, and if they are thinking about using roadsides along a neighbouring property, to certainly talk to their neighbours and get permission from them to utilize those roadsides.”

Burlock says producers can take advantage of the ditches around their property, and even allow them to fence roadsides adjacent to their own property.

“The ditches are county owned land and county right-of-ways. Typically residents aren’t allowed to utilize them because they do have a function for safety and water transportation, but in extreme years they will allow this, and this has happened in the past where they have allowed livestock producers in need of feed to utilize them.”

Due to higher traffic volume and speeds, fencing adjacent to paved roads is prohibited.

The fences must be removed by October 1st.

For more information, you can check out Lacombe County’s website here.