The impact of the 1988 drought on agriculture / Jim Tokarchuk.

The drought of 1988 will long be remembered for its many record breaking statistics. New records for high temperatures rivaled new lows in rainfall for each day's headlines. For the agricultural community across the prairies, 1988 began as a year of contrasts. For example, when the Swan River Valley was experiencing the worst flooding in fifty years,the Red River Valley was having the worst dust storms in memory.Eventually the flood waters receded from the Swan River Valley and allowed seeding to begin. However, conditions remained dry in the south.This year seeding was an act of faith for most farmers, done in the hope that failed rains would come once the seed was in the ground. For many,the rains did not come, or came too late to make much difference. Many of the statistics which will quantify the impact of this year's drought on agriculture are not available yet. At best, the full impact of 1988 will take a year to realize. In lieu of statistically valid data, this presentatio