Farmers have been affected by the perils of nature for centuries and the current drought being experienced across the region is an example of this reality. Significant rain hasn't fallen in most of Niagara for about a month, and when this happens, the livelihoods of people in the agriculture business are greatly affected, according to Jerry Winnicki, agronomy manager of Clark Agri Service, a company of experts that helps farmers yield as much quality and quantity in their annual summer crops. Too early to tell if the season will be a write off, Winnicki said in an interview with The Tribune that time is running out fast and a major storm is desperately needed for fields around the peninsula to survive and produce a decent harvest. "All we can do is hope we get some rain this weekend and things will work out," said Winnicki in a field of struggling soy beans in Wainfleet on Tuesday. Up the road on Highway 3, he said corn crops are in serious trouble, as they are currently in a stage of tasseling, a time when moisture is vital to producing edible ears. "That's when rainfall is really critical. Otherwise, you don't get a good cob," he said. Harvest time normally takes place around the end of September. Substantial rain in the spring also caused complications, delaying farmers' ability to get their crops in the ground. A late start coupled with the current dry spell has a lot of growers scrambling. "They're probably a month behind in maturity," said Winnicki referring to the soy field he was being interviewed in, one that was not started in 2018 until later in the season. "When you get too much rain, it floods and causes crop injury," said Winnicki, also the owner of a small 40-acre farm in Fenwick. The impact on the local economy is definitely noticeable, if a season is wasted due the lack of rain. "The problem is that if we end up with an average or below-average crop, there's no money left in the farmers' pockets," said Winnicki. Insurance is something they can fall back on, but that's only to make sure they don't fall into a deep financial hole. "That just basically helps cover costs, so they don't fall behind," said Winnicki. Irrigation systems are also an option, but too expensive for the average farm owner and are typically only used with high-value crops like flowers and turf grass. "You can't pump water here. Where are you going to get it? It's just not practical," he said. The dry spell is less complicated for livestock farmers, as they use manure — soil with higher amounts of nutrients. "A dairy farmer won't see as much of a deviation in yield," he said, also noting that most of south Niagara's agricultural industry grows in clay. "Because their soils are a little healthier, they can withstand a little more stress," said Winnicki. Even though waving the white flag on the 2018 season would be premature, Winnicki said the uncertainty of the outcome sometimes makes farmers hesitant to invest any further on their fields as a dry spell continues. "We run into that quite often, some will just throw their hands up in disgust and say they're not putting any more money into the crop, which isn't good for anybody," he said. But most agriculturalists don't give up that easily and are well aware that some years are better than others. "Farmers are resilient and will try again if they do have a setback," he said. Drew Spoelstra, executive member of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said the high temperatures have also made it "significantly challenging" for livestock production and keeping animals cool and comfortable in their productions cycles. The financial impact is the biggest factor in a drought, according to Spoelstra. In grain production, if the drought continues, production levels will decrease and farmers will be left relying on insurance. He said this can bring down average yields and adds more cost to premiums in future years. "Droughts can also have a negative impact on farmers' mental health with increased stress from events that are out of their control," he said. Source - https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/