Maritime farmers hit by major drought last summer say they're on the road to recovery

A year after a severe drought crippled farms across the East Coast, some Maritime growers are optimistic they are on the road to recovery. A combination of rainfall and sunny conditions across the region has aided crop regrowth, according to several farmers. However, certain signs of damage persist from the hot and dry summer of 2025.

Danny Dill, a pumpkin grower in Windsor, N.S., described the drought as "historic," noting that it was unprecedented in his lifetime. Dill's farm had to turn away pumpkin customers due to a shortage of stock last fall, but he expects to meet all customer demands this year. The pumpkin varieties, though smaller than usual, are thriving thanks to timely rains this year.

However, Dill suspects the previous drought may have contributed to this issue due to lower soil moisture levels. Trevor Hadwen, an agroclimate specialist with Agriculture Canada, confirmed last year's drought was unprecedented in the region, with severe conditions affecting Nova Scotia, eastern Newfoundland, southeastern New Brunswick, and parts of Prince Edward Island.

Wildfires also ravaged the area, leading to fire bans and restrictions. Patrick O'Neil, Executive Director of the Wild Blueberry Association of North America, said the drought was "devastating," with almost no rain in July and oppressive heat. The dry conditions forced some farmers to forgo harvests during peak seasons. Climate change is primarily caused by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and land-use changes, according to scientists.

These changes have led to more frequent and intense storms, droughts, floods, and fires, posing challenges for farmers like Dill. Dill first noticed the impacts of climate change on his farm about 15 years ago, but in the past five years, he has witnessed a sharp increase in extreme weather events. The impacts have caused anxiety for farmers in the region, as they fear another repeat of last year's drought.

Jordan Eyamie, manager of Webster Farms Ltd. in Cambridge, N.S., recalls the loss of about 20% of their strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb, and dry bean yields last year. Although frequent rain provided some relief, watering beans remains expensive due to high fuel consumption. Wild blueberry plants that produced this year's crop experienced stress during the drought, but overall, they remain healthy.

From tree fruits to berries, potatoes, and traditional grains, the dry heat resulted in water supply shortages, causing many producers to struggle with crop yields.