The recent rainstorm that hit southern Saskatchewan is just what farmers needed, says APAS.

President Todd Lewis says while it may have been a nuisance in the cities, farmers were extremely happy to receive the much-needed moisture.

“Overall, it’s good news,” said Lewis. “A lot of the rain hit in areas where it was very badly needed, especially in the south. A lot of the rangeland and pastures got a good shot of rain, so it’ll certainly help rejuvenate pastureland, and it came down fast enough that even some surface water dugouts were replenished, so it’s a good news story.”

Due to drought conditions in the province, Lewis says this might prove to have been a crop-saving rain.

“In some cases, this will get the crop into the next stage, and in a lot of areas, we’re still going to need more rain, really right across the province as it gets hotter,” said Lewis. ‘With 30-degree weather next week, the crop will grow, but when it grows, it uses a lot of moisture so we’re going to need see more rain of course in late June, July, and August. This goes a long into seeing the crop get off to a good start, and hopefully mother nature will keep cooperating.”

Environment Canada estimates that anywhere between 55 and 90 mm fell in the southern part of the province over the past week.