Glacier FarmMedia | MarketsFarm—Harvest progress for major crops in Alberta more than tripled during the week ended Aug. 20 while heavy rains hit northern and central parts of the province.
Alberta’s harvest for major crops was 7.7 per cent complete by Aug. 20, compared to 2.3 per cent one week earlier. The five-year average was 8.1 per cent while the 10-year average was 4.8 per cent. The south region was the farthest along at 14.5 per cent, followed by the central region at 11.8 per cent, the Peace region at 3.4 per cent, the northeast region at 3.1 per cent and the northwest at 1.5 per cent.
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Nearly half of the province’s field pea crop was combined at 46.7 per cent, while the barley crop was 11.7 per cent harvested. The spring wheat harvest was 4.7 per cent complete, while oats were at 2.1 per cent and canola was at 0.2 per cent.
While major cereals were at the end of dough development, major crops were rated at 40 per cent good to excellent across Alberta, below the five- and 10-year averages of 55 and 57 per cent, respectively. Crop conditions were 54 per cent good to excellent in the Peace region, 52 per cent in the south, 44 per cent in the northeast, 28 per cent in the northwest and 21 per cent in the central region.
Some parts of the south, central and northeast regions only received three millimetres of rain during the week, while a small area in the Peace region had more than 50 mm. The majority of heavy precipitation was in the northwest and Peace regions.
Provincial surface soil moisture was rated at 32.1 per cent good to excellent, similar to the previous week, but below the five-year average of 47.1 per cent and the 10-year average of 50.9 per cent. Subsurface soil moisture was rated 27 per cent good to excellent, up two points from the week before.
Provincial pasture ratings declined four points from the previous week at 27.3 per cent good to excellent, but those in the Peace region improved by one point at 59 per cent. The five-year provincial average was 50.8 per cent while the 10-year average was 49.4 per cent.
Tame hay conditions across Alberta worsened by two points at 27.3 per cent good to excellent, well below the five-year average of 50.8 per cent and the 10-year average of 49.4 per cent. There were reports of second cut growth being very minimal with hay crops flowering at only six to eight inches tall. Poor yielding cereal crops continued to be cut for use as a feed source.
