Cool, rainy weather could lead to 'catastrophic' harvest for Manitoba farmers, producers group says

Cool, dreary weather, including rain and untimely September snow in Manitoba, could have major implications for producers still working to get this year's crop off the field.

"This is significant," said Bill Campbell, president of Keystone Agricultural Producers. "It has the building blocks to be catastrophic." 

So far in September, the Winnipeg area has received about 115 millimetres of rain, according to Environment Canada. That's nearing the 143 mm that fell in the months of June, July and August combined. 

In the Brandon area, 46 mm had fallen in September as of Friday, and 138 mm over the summer months. 

Campbell said the rain this month, plus snowfall in parts of southern Manitoba, has turned a harvest that was ahead of schedule for some to one that is now falling further and further behind schedule. 

Staying patient 

"We've had two weeks of no movement here now and so we would certainly like to see a change in the weather to get this crop completed," he said, adding that in cool, rainy weather, it takes swathed crops longer to dry — an added expense. 

"It just impacts the ease and convenience and, you know, we don't get as much done in a day when we have these types of conditions, if we get around to harvesting," Campbell added.

For Mark Keating, who farms near Russell — 140 kilometres northwest of Brandon — patience has been key. 

"When we started harvest, I said there was absolutely no way we wouldn't be finished harvest by Thanksgiving, and now there's no way we'll be finished by Thanksgiving," said Keating, who also owns Keating Seed Farms.

"It hasn't gone the way that we wished, but that's the way farming is."

Keating said he has about 35 per cent of his crop left to harvest and while it's still salvageable at this point, seeing snowfall this early makes him a little uneasy. 

"It's not the best feeling in the world, that's for sure," he said. "But I've been at it long enough that you learn to expect the unexpected and you try not to control the things you can't control."

"You roll with the punches as much as you can." 

Millions of acres unharvested

Campbell said earlier this week that about 60 per cent of the crop was in the bin across Manitoba, but the remaining 40 per cent represents millions of dollars. 

"We've got four million acres of crop out there yet and it doesn't look like [the weather] is going to be good until next week," said Campbell.

Environment Canada's forecast for southern Manitoba calls for rain early next week, and lows hovering just above, or dipping just below, freezing.

Campbell said southern Manitoba needs three to five days of sunny weather in order to dry out the crops, followed by up to three weeks of sunshine in order for producers to finish harvesting.

He said farmers will do whatever they can to finish the harvest this year, but if the break in the rainy, cool weather doesn't come soon, it's going to be a long, hard winter for some. 

"Most people in agriculture realize that Mother Nature plays the last card and she's not playing fair this year, that's for darn sure," said Campbell. "It's showing its impact now."

With files from CBC Manitoba's Radio Noon