With parts of Manitoba's flooded Red River Valley now a massive lake, many farmers are wondering whether the land will dry out in time for this year's crops.
Lorne Hamblin, a grain producer near Morris, has about a third of his cropland underwa-ter.
He says he doubts that he will be able to start seeding in mid-May, and the delay will mean lower yields.
Hamblin is also worried that the Red River is rising again in North Dakota and could send another crest downstream into Manitoba in May, potentially eliminating any seeding in some areas this year.
Manitoba's largest farm lobby group, Keystone Agricultural Producers, says it's too early to call this year a writeoff.
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The group's president, Ian Wishart, says crops were decent after the so-called flood of the century in 1997 because the weather in May and June of that year was good.
