Southern Sask. farmers looking for more rain this spring

Many farmers in southern Saskatchewan are looking to the skies and asking for more rain after the sprinkling some got Wednesday morning.

According to Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan (APAS), farmers south of the Trans-Canada Highway and nearly from border to border are in need of rain.

“The more rain we get, the better — for the time being, anyway, for the short term. An inch or two would certainly be welcome in a lot of southern Saskatchewan,” Lewis said Wednesday.

He explained subsoil moisture is at a deficit position after last year’s dry summer, and the snowpack wasn’t great over the winter.

Modern farming techniques helped producers get an average crop off last year despite the relative lack of rain. That success, Lewis said, surprised many farmers.

But to be able to get something similar or better, Lewis said they’re going to need some rain.

Ranchers could use a bit of moisture as well. According to Lewis, surface water supplies need to be shored up for cattle and livestock. He said that could end up being an issue this year.

That’s the situation in southern Saskatchewan, but Lewis said in central and northern areas of the province, they’re generally in a better position.

“A lot of the areas there have adequate moisture going into the springtime here and are looking to see the snow melt and things dry out so they can get on the land and start seeding,” said Lewis.