'Some plots are completely flooded': Quebec farms hit hard by rainfall
![Jardins Vaes Jardins Vaes, situated in Lavaltrie in the Lanaudière region, saw at least one-third of its area flooded due to massive rainfall. (Jardins Vaes)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/8/14/jardins-vaes-1-7000867-1723665317234.jpg)
Not only were many homes in southern Quebec hit with unfortunate floods, but last week's torrential downpour also devastated many farms.
"There were major impacts in certain regions," said Quebec agricultures union president Martin Caron. "In these regions, it goes as far as damaged fields and crops."
Caron says the Lanaudière, Mauricie, and Montérégie regions were hit by the worst flooding for farmers, but there were extreme flooding cases all over the province.
He added that some grain farmers saw their crops completely submerged.
One vegetable farm that suffered from the massive rainfall is Les Jardins Vaes in Quebec's Lanaudière region, which saw over 200 millimetres of rain starting last Friday.
"It's more [rain] than we got in an entire month last year," said administrative director Marie-Hélène Martel. "A large part of the cultivable area was flooded."
At least 150 of 450 acres were flooded at Jardin Vaes, according to Martel, and she says the crops of celery, onions, green onions, and lettuce are not salvageable.
On top of immediate consequences, she also anticipates trickle-down effects that will hinder the farm in the coming weeks.
"On the subject of crops that will be harvested in the coming weeks and months, it's to be determined for now," she said. "It's very hard to estimate the magnitude of the damage."
Caron says that in addition to obvious economic consequences, crops could develop fungi and mould or fall victim to spreading diseases.
He says damage control is of utmost importance and that farmers, first and foremost, need to clear the water from the fields.
Jardins Vaes is in the process of contacting their insurance about the damaged crops, but that does not entirely fix the problem.
"If we look at last year, having all of our crops insured helps, but it's clearly not enough to cover what we put in the fields," Martel said.
The farm has been run by the Vaes family for four generations, totalling over 60 years.
However, substantial rainfall will undoubtedly have economic consequences, which could create problems down the road.
"Castatrophies like this definitely complicate the future of the farm," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7033216.1726021317!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Kamala Harris goes on offence against Donald Trump in combative debate
Democratic U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris put Republican Donald Trump on the defensive at a combative U.S. presidential debate on Tuesday with a stream of attacks on abortion limits, his fitness for office and his myriad legal woes.
Key quotes from the Trump-Harris 2024 U.S. presidential debate
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Donald Trump took the stage on Tuesday night for their first and only scheduled presidential debate before the Nov. 5 election.
FACT CHECK: A look at the false and misleading claims made during the Trump-Harris debate
In their first and perhaps only debate, former U.S. president Donald Trump and U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris described the state of the country in starkly different terms. As the two traded jabs, some old false and misleading claims emerged along with some new ones.
Trump campaign falsely accuses immigrants in Ohio of abducting and eating pets
Former U.S. president Donald Trump’s campaign and his allies are amplifying false rumours that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were abducting and eating pets, another instance of the inflammatory and anti-immigrant rhetoric Trump has promoted throughout his campaigns.
U.S. presidential historian predicts results of November elections. Here's who he says will win
An American presidential historian is predicting a Kamala Harris presidency as the outcome of the upcoming U.S. elections in November.
Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris for U.S. president after debate ends
Taylor Swift, one of the music industry's biggest stars, endorsed Kamala Harris for president shortly after the debate ended on Tuesday night.
Some restaurants have increased their default tip options. Canadians think you should give this much
Despite what the default options on the payment terminal might read, most Canadians still want to tip around 15 per cent, according to a new survey.
Dave Grohl says he fathered a child outside of his marriage
The Foo Fighters frontman announced that he recently became a father again, writing in a statement on his Instagram page on Tuesday that his new baby girl was born 'outside' of his marriage to his wife Jordyn Blum.
$2M home belonging to children's musician Raffi on the market
Canada’s children’s troubadour is selling his B.C. home, which is now up for grabs for $1,995,000.