Wet weather is hampering the harvest for farmers in northeastern Ontario and some say the value of lost crops could be in the millions of dollars if the weather doesn't improve.

Excessive rain this fall has made it nearly impossible for Norm Koch to harvest the grain on his fields. Koch and his family farm about 10,000 acres in the Temiskaming and Cochrane areas.

"Suppose we don't get anymore crop off after today then we are talking hundreds of thousands of dollars [lost]," he said.

"We have to hope and pray that we do get some weather yet that we will get the grain off."

Environment Canada numbers show far more rain than average has fallen in northeastern Ontario since June.

Sudbury has seen the most rain at 540 millimetres. That's well above the average for the city of 434 millimetres. The Temiskaming region has also seen above average rainfall of 504 millimetres since June.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, there are roughly 2,800 farms in northern Ontario which contribute about $190 million annually to the economy.

Worst harvest in decades

But this year, some of those millions of dollars may rot in the fields, said Daniel Tassé, an agricultural representative for the ministry.

"The fields are just too wet, they are saturated,' he said. "And also the quality has gone down because of the moisture, the excessive rain this fall."

Many farmers will have to rely on crop insurance, which will only cover part of their losses," Tassé said.

There are $14 million worth of insured acres of soy beans alone in the Temiskaming region, most of which has not yet been harvested, he noted, adding if the weather doesn't improve in a hurry, that represents about $5 million in losses.

Tassé said 2014 has been one of the worst harvest seasons he has seen in his 30 year career.

"It's going to be a year that we will remember, 2014, for sure."

Source - http://www.cbc.ca/