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Wet growing season prompts Leduc County to declare state of agricultural disaster

A flooded field in Leduc County, Alta. on July 22, 2019. Fletcher Kent, Global News

Another development came about on Tuesday indicating how difficult the 2019 growing season has been for some Alberta farmers as officials in Leduc County declared a state of agricultural disaster.

Leduc County Mayor Tanni Doblanko told Global News the move is aimed at drawing the provincial government and Ottawa’s attention to the difficulties farmers in the region have faced this summer.

She said the move will hopefully prompt those levels of government to potentially allow farmers to defer taxes or to receive disaster assistance as they struggle financially as a result of poor weather conditions.

READ MORE: The Edmonton summer that wasn’t… and what fall may bring

Watch below: Some recent Global News videos about problems Alberta farmers have been having.

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Doblanko said fields are so wet in many cases that farmers can’t get onto them to get hay off the fields. Some farmers weren’t even able to get their first cut of hay off, she said.

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According to Doblanko, for many farmers in the county, crops not maturing properly this growing season has also been an issue.

Earlier this month, Leduc County posted on its Facebook page that it was considering declaring a state of agricultural disaster.

“The 2019 growing season has been extremely difficult and stressful for Leduc County agricultural producers,” the post read. “The amount of precipitation that we’ve had this summer has caused difficulties, especially for those who are haying.”

READ MORE: Lac Ste. Anne County declares state of agricultural disaster

Watch below: (From August 2019) Some farmers just west of Edmonton are starting to get worried they might not get a crop this year. Lac Ste. Anne County even declared a state of agricultural disaster. Tom Vernon reports.

Click to play video: 'Rain forces Lac Ste. Anne County to declare agricultural disaster'
Rain forces Lac Ste. Anne County to declare agricultural disaster

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