WINNIPEG - The RM of St. Laurent is declaring a State of Disaster after several days of extreme heat, as pest problems and serious drought conditions continue to pose major challenges to area farmers.
Grasshoppers are devastating fields in the area, which has seen less than 40 per cent of its average rainfall. Reeve Cheryl Smith says farmers are worried that their crops just won’t perform, so declaring an Agricultural Disaster will give them a chance to receive federal and provincial assistance.
Farmers are reporting that their water sources for cattle are completely dry, forcing them to drill extra wells and pump lake water into their feeding areas. Experts are speculating the emergency may expand into other municipalities such as those in Portage la Prairie, Woodlands, and the Interlake.
Forecasters don't expect any precipitation in the area until next Monday, although showers over the next couple of weeks will be isolated and scattered.
What do you think?