Last week's heavy rainfall in southern Quebec not only affected numerous homes with floods, but also led to considerable damage across various farms. According to Martin Caron, president of Quebec's Agriculture Union, the Lanaudière, Mauricie, and Montérégie regions experienced the most severe flooding, impacting fields and crops.
Les Jardins Vaes, a vegetable farm in the Lanaudière region, received over 200 mm of rain, resulting in the flooding of a significant portion of their cultivable land. Marie-Hélène Martel, the administrative director, noted that this amount of rainfall surpassed the total received in the same period the previous year. Consequently, around 150 of their 450 acres were flooded, affecting the cultivation of celery, onions, green onions, and lettuce, which Martel declared unsalvageable. She also expressed concerns over the potential long-term impacts and the difficulty in assessing the full extent of the damage.
Caron highlighted the economic implications of the floods, including the risk of crops developing fungi, mould, or diseases. He emphasized the importance of removing water from the fields as a critical initial step in damage control. Despite insurance coverage, the financial toll on farms like Jardins Vaes remains significant, underscoring the challenges in fully compensating for the losses incurred. The farm, with a history spanning over 60 years and four generations, now faces an uncertain future due to the catastrophic weather event.
Source: montreal.ctvnews.ca