Moisture concerns easing for area farmers

By Medicine Hat News on July 20, 2019.

Moisture concerns are easing for southern Alberta farmers, but yields and crop ratings are in doubt after scattered rain fell on the region over the last weeks, according to the latest Alberta Crop Report.

Stating conditions at July 16, crop conditions for most major crops in the south lagged behind local averages other areas of the province.

Spring wheat, barley, oats, canola, and dry peas averaged rating of 57.5 per cent in good to excellent condition, compared to 85 per cent across the province.

Other notables, including durum, winter wheat and most other pulses, are well below longer term averages. Sugar beets, potatoes and dry beans are high-quality outliers, though rain is needed in the southeast to fill pods.

In positive news, the vast majority of crops are flowering, and subsoil moisture is now rated at 45 per cent good and 33 per cent excellent.

Across the province hay yields are 200 to 400 kilograms below five and ten year averages of about 1.4 tonnes per acre.

Crop and pasture conditions in southwest Saskatchewan are also improving after more consistent rain has fallen throughout the region, according to that province’s agriculture ministry.

That’s helped crops catch up, though over the entire district, the quality of the majority crop is reported at only poor to good.

And though much better, hay yields and pasture growth are generally low meaning ranchers will likely need to source feed.

Soil moisture across most of the province is considered 90 per cent adequate, almost a complete reversal at least in the southwest which was very short this spring.