- TORONTO - Canadian farmers
are coping with a dry spell that could be worse than the legendary drought
year of 1961, according to a senior climatologist with Environment Canada.
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- David Phillips says he can't recall a year with such
an extensive drought across the country.
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- Phillips says the dryness is particularly unusual because
it tends to be almost from coast to coast.
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- Southeastern Manitoba, however, has received more than
enough rain. Farmers say excessive moisture through the entire growing
season has reduced crop yields and the quality is poor.
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- Parts of Yukon, northern B.C., and Labrador have also
been receiving above-average amounts of rain.
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- On the flip-side, Saskatchewan's latest crop forecast
suggests production will drop 18 per cent below the 10-year average, despite
farmers seeding a record 35.7 million acres.
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- Ontario corn and soybean farmers say their yields are
only about 16 per cent of what they would normally get.
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- Written by CBC News Online staff http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/view?/news/2001/08/14/drought010814
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