Latest stretch of dry weather welcomed by Manitoba farmers

Manitoba famers are relieved warm weather has replaced endless amounts of precipitation.

The rain delayed seeding season for many farmers across southern portions of the province.

“By about this time (early June) we would see about 96 per cent of crop in the ground. That’s our five year average,” said Manitoba Agriculture’s Dane Froese “Right now we’re at about 65 per cent in the ground. We’ve been about a month behind since we got started,” he added.

The dry weather has allowed fields to dry and neighbouring rivers, lakes and streams to slowly recede from the fields.

Froese told 680 CJOB that favourable weather will not only be important in the near future but also during harvest and into early November.

According to Global News Meteorologist Peter Quinlan, 299.2 mm of precipitation through March, April and May while the average is 111.2. It’s the second wettest spring on record. 303.6 mm fell over the three months. Typically 115.5 mm falls during that same time, according to Quinlan.

Despite it all, Froese noted producers are optimistic.

“It’s the nature of the job. I don’t know another career where you invest half a million dollars in the spring and hope you get half a million and a bit more in the fall,” he said.

“Knowing you can’t do much about it could perhaps make you feel a bit better. It’s not up to us and you do what you can. Sometimes you have to say there’s always next year and you keep trying ,” Froese said.