Fear and Frustration Grip Abbotsford Farmers as Floodwaters Rise Again

Abbotsford, B.C. : Rising floodwaters in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley are once again threatening farms in Abbotsford, reviving painful memories for a region still recovering from the devastating floods of four years ago.

B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said Friday that the deluge affecting the Sumas Prairie has already submerged several poultry barns. A total of 68 farms are under evacuation order, while another 98 remain on alert, underscoring the scale of the crisis facing one of the province’s most important agricultural areas.

“This has not meant good news for farmers,” Popham said at a news conference, adding that the unfolding situation is taking a heavy emotional toll. “I can hear that fear in the voices of the farmers I’ve spoken with.”

While the provincial government is working closely with farming associations to provide assistance where needed, frustration is mounting among both farmers and local officials that the region is once again underwater.

Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens called for urgent cross-border flood mitigation measures, pointing to overflow from the Nooksack River in Washington state as a recurring contributor to flooding in the Sumas Prairie.

Poultry farmer Jeffrey Spitters echoed those concerns, saying farmers feel powerless in the face of decisions made beyond their control. “We have no control of it,” he said. “Our hands are tied in the sense that we’re at the mercy of what they decide to do.”

As floodwaters continue to threaten livelihoods, farmers and officials alike are renewing calls for long-term solutions to prevent repeated devastation in the region.