Alberta farmers have 11 per cent of this year's crop in the bin, according to the latest crop report.
While it's up from two per cent the previous week, it remains below the five and ten year averages for this time of year.
Provincially, fall rye is the most harvested crop at 91.2 per cent complete, followed by winter wheat at 88.3 per cent harvested. About 62 per cent of lentils have been combined and half of the dry pea crop has been harvested. Spring wheat, durum, barley, oats, chickpeas, mustard, and canola are well behind in harvest progress. The swathing of canola has begun.
Current crop conditions for all types across the province are rated as 65 per cent in good to excellent condition, above the five year average of 50 per cent and the 10 year average of 54 per cent. By region, the Central is the highest rated at 93 per cent, the North West at 70 per cent, the South Region at 65 per cent, the North East Region at 61 per cent, and the Peace Region at 27 per cent.
Provincial yields for all major crops are reported as 19 per cent above the five year average and 11 per cent above the ten year average, said the report.
Provincial surface soil moisture is rated as 57 percent good to excellent, which is 13 percent above the 5 year average. Regionally, "surface soil moisture (weekly change) rated as good to excellent is 44 (-9) per cent for the South, 81 (-8) per cent for Central, 45 (-5) per cent for the North East, 51 (-3) per cent for the North West and 54 (+3) per cent for the Peace" according to the report.
Sub-surface soil moisture for the entire province is rated at 54 per cent good to excellent condition, with "regional sub-surface soil moisture (weekly change) rated as good to excellent is 42 (-4) per cent for the South, 81 (0) per cent for the Central, 42 (-3) per cent for the North East, 37(+1) per cent for the North West and 54 (+3) per cent for the Peace.
Additional regional break downs from the crop report can be found below.
Region One: South (Strathmore, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Foremost)
· Major crops conditions are 66 per cent good to excellent, above the 5-year average of 46 per cent for this week.
· Sub-surface moisture conditions are rated 14 per cent poor, 45 per cent fair, 35 per cent good, 7 per cent excellent and 0 per cent excessive.
· Tame hay growth is rated 19 per cent poor, 39 per cent fair, 39 per cent good and 4 per cent excellent. Dryland second cut is 59 per cent complete with a yield of 1.2 tons per acre. Irrigated second cut is 70 per cent complete with a yield of 2.1 tons per acre.
· Pest pressure is minimal with gopher activity at 5 per cent over threshold, indicating gopher hills present in fields.
Region Two: Central (Rimbey, Airdrie, Coronation, Oyen)
· In the Central Region, 93 per cent of major crops are rated good to excellent, well above the 5-year average of 49 per cent for this week.
· Ratings for sub-surface moisture stand at 4 per cent poor, 13 per cent fair, 72 per cent good, 10 per cent excellent, and 2 per cent excessive.
· Tame hay growth is assessed as 4 per cent poor, 19 per cent fair, 70 per cent good, and 8 per cent excellent. For dryland, the second cut has reached 24 per cent completion with yields averaging 1.5 tons per acre.
· Minimal pest pressure was observed, with gopher activity only slightly above threshold at 4 per cent, as indicated by the presence of gopher hills in fields, and root maggots at 1 per cent above threshold, with more than 3 maggots per root.
Region Three: North East (Smoky Lake, Vermilion, Camrose, Provost)
· This week, 61 per cent of major crops in the North East are rated good to excellent, exceeding the 5-year average of 57 per cent.
· Current sub-surface moisture conditions stand at 20 per cent poor, 38 per cent fair, 41 per cent good, 1 per cent excellent, with none rated excessive.
· Tame hay stands are assessed as 28 per cent poor, 51 per cent fair, 20 per cent good and 0 per cent excellent. Dryland second cut is underway at 13 per cent completed, with an average yield of 0.9 tons per acre.
· Pest pressure remains minimal, with gopher activity just 1 per cent above threshold, as shown by the presence of gopher hills in fields.
Region Four: North West (Barrhead, Edmonton, Leduc, Drayton Valley, Athabasca)
· In the North West, major crop conditions are 69 per cent good to excellent, above the 5-year average of 44 per cent for this week.
· Current sub-surface moisture is distributed as 29 per cent poor, 34 per cent fair, 33 per cent good, 5 per cent excellent, with no excessive moisture reported.
· Tame hay growth is rated 18 per cent poor, 43 per cent fair, 35 per cent good and 5 per cent excellent. Dryland second cut progress has reached 18 per cent, producing 1.5 tons per acre.
· Gopher activity is at 10 per cent over threshold, representing gopher hills present in fields. Region Five: Peace (Fairview, Falher, Grande Prairie, Valleyview) · Currently, 27 per cent of major crops are rated good to excellent, below the 5-year weekly average of 49 per cent.
· Sub-surface moisture conditions are reported as 9 per cent poor, 37 per cent fair, 52 per cent good, 3 per cent excellent, with no areas considered excessive.
· Pest pressure over threshold includes grasshoppers at 4 per cent, with 15+ per square meter, Lygus bugs at 1 per cent with 15+ in 10 sweeps, and army cutworms at 1 per cent, with greater than 2 per foot of seed row.
