Canadian Natural Disasters Wet and Cold Weather Reduces Crop YieldsUnfortunately for western farmers. prospects in early September for one of the most bountiful grain crops in Canadian history didn't exactly materialize. Fall temperatures across the west were much below normal (the Prairies had their second coldest fall in half a century) and precipitation was much above normal (the 7th wettest fall in about 50 years). Cool wet weather during the harvest of western red spring wheat led to a severe drop in its grade distribution, denying farmers an additional $180 million. In southern Ontario winter wheat production was severely affected by the wet cool weather throughout the growing season. Record rainfall resulted in the worst outbreak of blight fungus ever seen in Ontario. According to Agriculture Canada, the excessive moisture and disease not only reduced yields, but it also reduced the quality of most of the crop to feed, since affected grain cannot be used for human consumption. The loss was estimated to be about $90 million. |
