Swan River Valley farmers wait for relief after summer of floods

Farmers across Manitoba face uncertainty after summer of extreme weather, frustration

Extreme weather has left some Manitoba farmers devastated this year.
Many crops have been destroyed, leaving farmers saying they're mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted as they wait on financial assistance.

"Everywhere you look, there's devastation. There's land ruined. There's land washed away," said Sean Baskier, who farms in the Swan River Valley region of southwestern Manitoba.

"It hasn't been a good summer to go for a drive."

There's been little respite for many farmers across the province during a brutal season that began with unexpected May frost, followed by relentless rains in June and record-breaking heat in July.

In the Swan River Valley, producers are reporting thousands of hectares lost to overland flooding, after raging waters carved deep fissures into fields, leaving thick debris and displaced topsoil.