Farmers fear for their business after flooding destroys crops

CTV Barrie: Flooded crops Heavy rainfall and repeated flooding has some local farmers worried they may not be able to stay in business. Brandon Gonez reports.

It has been a difficult few months for farmer’s right across the province. Heavy rainfall and repeated flooding has damaged crops.  Some farmer’s say their dollar loss is in the millions and worry whether they can stay in business at all.

Barry Dorsey has been farming in Beeton for decades. But this year is one he’d rather forget.

“We’ve been up here for 45 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Hundreds of acres of his onion, carrot and potato crops have been destroyed after constant rain for the past few weeks.  Dorsey says the destruction was made worse after municipal water systems overflowed into his crops.

His staff even found fish in one field.

“Two and a half millions dollars of crop loss,” he says.

While some of the water has receded, he and other farmers are still on edge.

Agronomist Stephanie Kowalski says at this point, some crops have to be written off.

“Onions I would say are too late, and potatoes. If it's gone now, you can't replant it, it's too late.”

There is still hope for some crops.

“From a cash crop corn, soy and wheat production side…there is still some hope that it quits raining and there will be something to harvest,” says Kowalski.

A turnaround will require days with 30 degree temperatures and no rain, which is weather Dorsey is praying for.

“We’ve been in business for over 60 years, and that may all go by the wayside if we don't get out of this.”