Harvest is officially over 50 per cent point done as progress sits at 53 per cent complete, up from 41 per cent last week.
Compared to the five year average (73 per cent) and ten year average (62 per cent) for this time of year, it remains behind schedule.
The southwest region leads the pack with 66 per cent of crops harvested, followed by the southeast at 58 per cent, the west-central and northwest regions are at 47 per cent, the east-central is not far behind at 46 per cent, and the northeast is at 42 per cent complete.
The provincial crop report says the harvest of winter wheat and fall rye is complete, while field peas are almost done at 96 per cent and lentils at 91 per cent. For spring cereal crops, triticale is 75 per cent combined, barley 72 per cent, durum 66 per cent, spring wheat 56 per cent, oats 52 per cent, and canary seed is the furthest behind at 20 per cent. Chickpeas are 27 per cent harvested. Among oilseed crops, mustard is 41 per cent harvested, canola 21 per cent, soybeans 13 per cent, and flax is just six per cent combined.
Rain over the weekend may have stalled harvest for some farmers, but its welcome for replenishing topsoil moisture levels for next season.
Moisture for crop land is rated six per cent surplus, 66 per cent adequate, 22 per cent short, and six per cent very short. Hay land moisture is six per cent surplus, 58 per cent adequate, 25 per cent short, and 11 per cent very short. Pasture land moisture is three per cent surplus, 54 per cent adequate, 29 per cent short, and 14 per cent very short. Producers are hoping for more rain to restore depleted soil moisture reserves.
The Kipling area had the most rain this past week with 100 millimetres (mm), while the Lampman area had 85 mm, Aberdeen 81 mm, Churchbridge 78 mm, Griffin 77 mm, Glenavon 75 mm, and the Rouleau area had 74 mm.
The report says crop yield and quality vary throughout the province due to variable rainfall amounts during the growing season.
Here are the following crop quality grades:
- Pea grades are mainly 2 Canada (CAN) at 53 per cent with 42 per cent at 1 CAN; this is very similar to the 10-year average of 51 per cent 2 CAN and 42 per cent 1 CAN.
- Lentil grades are mainly 2 CAN at 60 per cent with 26 per cent at 1 CAN; the 10-year average is 51 per cent 2 CAN and 31 per cent 1 CAN.
- Durum grade quality is reported at 23 per cent 1 Canada Wheat (CW), 43 per cent 2 CW and 23 per cent 3 CW. The 10-year average for durum grade quality is 38 per cent 1 CW, 29 per cent 2 CW and 19 per cent 3 CW.
- Quality for barley is reported at 24 per cent malt, 68 per cent 1 CW and eight per cent 2 CW per sample. The 10-year average for barley is reported at 31 per cent malt, 50 per cent 1 CW and 19 per cent 2 CW per sample.
Wind, wildlife, waterfowl, frost, and grasshoppers were the main causes of crop damage this past week. Frost on later seeded crops and hail were reported to be causing damage and grasshopper activity remains high in some areas.
Farmers continue to swath and combine crops. The report says as we move into the later-stages of harvest, producers will be focused on post-harvest weed control, storing grain and hauling bales.
Producers are reminded to be safe when working in the field and the public is reminded to be patient and exercise caution when meeting or passing farm machinery on the road.
