Tag Archives: Saskatchewan Agriculture

Latest report on crop progress

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With the flooding in southeast Saskatchewan, we thought it might be a good time to update readers on the latest crop report. The following is from the report for July 1 to 10, 2014

Province of Saskatchewan

Warm weather in much of the province has helped with crop development and haying.  Livestock producers now have six per cent of the hay crop cut and one per cent baled or put into silage, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report.

Many producers on the east side of the province continue to deal with localized flooding and saturated fields.  Although weather conditions have improved, many crops in these regions have been significantly affected by the excess moisture.  Early estimates suggest that between two million to three million acres have been flooded and are unlikely to produce a crop.

Topsoil moisture conditions are improving for many areas.  Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 34 per cent surplus, 64 per cent adequate and two per cent short.  Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 25 per cent surplus, 71 per cent adequate, three per cent short and one per cent very short.

The majority of fall cereals are in the shotblade to dough stages of crop development, while most spring cereals are in the tillering to shotblade stages.  The majority of pulse crops are in the vegetative to flowering stages and flax crops are mostly in the seedling to flowering crop stages.  Most canola and mustard crops are in the seedling to flowering stages of development.

Crop damage this week is attributed to excess moisture, localized flooding, hail, wind and insects such as the cabbage seedpod weevil.  Root rots and leaf spot diseases have also caused some damage.  There is adequate water available for livestock, and pasture conditions are rated as 27 per cent excellent, 62 per cent good, 10 per cent fair and one per cent poor.

Farmers are busy controlling pests and haying.

West Central Saskatchewan

Six per cent of the hay crop has been cut and less than one per cent has been baled or put into silage. Hay quality is rated as 89 per cent good and 11 per cent fair; yields are not expected to be as high as normal in many areas. Crop reporters rate pasture conditions as 44 per cent excellent, 49 per cent good and seven per cent fair. Livestock producers report having adequate water supplies for their animals.

Rainfall in the region ranged from small amounts to 35 mm in the Landis area. The Sonningdale area continues to lead the region in total rainfall, having received 287 mm of rain since April 1. Topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as five per cent surplus, 94 per cent adequate and one per cent short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as three per cent surplus, 90 per cent adequate and seven per cent short.

Localized flooding, wind, insects and diseases such as root rots are causing the majority of damage this week. Spraying continues and many producers are now spraying fungicides in some fields. A storm went through the area bringing baseball-sized hail and high winds. There are reports of several tornadoes touching down and damaging fields and yards.

Farmers are busy haying, controlling pests and hauling grain.

canoia

Crop progress before the rain

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With our area escaping the rain experienced during the September 24 to 30 period covered by the latest Crop Report from Saskatchewan Agriculture, we continued to be ahead of the rest of the province in harvest progress.

West-Central Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 6B – Hanley, Outlook, Loreburn, Saskatoon and Arelee areas; Crop District 7 – Rosetown, Kindersley, Eston, Major, Kerrobert, Macklin, Wilkie and Biggar areas)

The west-central region is the most advanced area of the province,  with 95 per cent of the crop combined and four per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut. Crop districts 7A and 7B recorded very little rain and so combines continued to roll in those areas. Rain ranged from nil to 62 mm (Hanley area). Spring wheat combined ranges from 90 to 100 per cent; oats 50 to 100 per cent; barley 40 100 per cent; canola 80 to 100 per cent and flax 10 to 100 per cent combined. Flax and canaryseed crops are being combined. Many farmers have completed harvest and others hope to finish within the week.

With some areas receiving very little rain, topsoil moisture conditions continue to deteriorate and are rated as 16 per cent adequate, 37 per cent short and 47 per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 22 per cent adequate, 30 per cent short and 48 per cent very short. Many areas in the region have not received a significant rainfall in over a month. Crop districts 7A and 7B are reporting over 40 per cent of the cropland, hay land and pasture is very short of topsoil moisture. Crop and combine fires have been reported in many areas.

Pasture conditions are rated as three per cent excellent, 13 per cent good, 43 per cent fair, 28 per cent poor and 13 per cent very poor.

The majority of the crop damage was caused by strong winds (of up to 80 km per /hour) that damaged some swathed crops. Producers are busy finishing harvest, working fields and starting fall weed control.

Provincially

Seventy-nine per cent of the 2013 crop is now combined, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Significant rainfall recorded last week slowed harvest progress in most areas of the province. Fifteen per cent is swathed or is ready to straight-cut. The five-year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 74 per cent combined and 18 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Harvest progress is most advanced in the west-central region, where 95 per cent of the crop is combined. Seventy-two per cent is combined in the southeast; 85 per cent in the southwest; 68 per cent in the east-central region; 74 per cent in the northeast and 88 per cent in the northwest.

Rainfall throughout the province ranged from nil to 81 mm. Many areas received over 35 mm of rain, and heavy precipitation was reported in the southwestern, east-central and northeastern regions. Many areas in the southwestern, southeastern and east-central regions have been experiencing rain delays for a couple of weeks.

Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as five per cent surplus, 65 per cent adequate, 19 per cent short and 11 per cent very short. Topsoil moisture on hay and pasture land is rated as two per cent surplus, 63 per cent adequate, 24 per cent short and 11 per cent very short.

Pasture conditions are rated as nine per cent excellent, 43 per cent good, 29 per cent fair, 16 per cent poor and three per cent very poor.

Rain and strong winds caused the majority of the crop damage. The rain has resulted in bleaching and sprouting of some cereal crops. Wind has caused some shattering losses in swathed canola and ripe crops.

Farmers are busy combining, hauling bales and completing fall weed control operations.