Seeding lagging behind for southern Alberta
By Medicine Hat News on May 12, 2020.
Seeding in southern Alberta is proceeding slower than in recent years, according to the first Alberta crop report of the 2020 growing season. Analysts report that the average progress in the Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Foremost and Strathmore regions sits at 28 per cent complete, down from both the five-year average (48 per cent) and last year (36 per cent). At the same time three-quarters of pasture and hay acres are considered to be in “good to excellent” condition in the southern region. Moisture across the southeast corner is mostly near normal to moderately low, though a major swath of the County of Forty Mile is to be at a 12- to 25-year low. Most unharvested fields from last autumn are now in the bin, according to the report, and the sugar beet planting is nearing completion. Progress for potatoes, dry peas, chick peas and durum wheat are all above 40 per cent complete. Spring wheat follows at 31 per cent done. Across the province, seeding sits at just about 10 per cent, also below the mid-term average. Sask. conditions Seeding in southwest Saskatchewan is only slightly behind schedule, according to that province’s first crop report of the 2020. The average completion rate at this time of year 17 per cent, but to May 4, producers in the area from the Alberta boundary to Assiniboia had completed just nine per cent of their crop acres. Progress was the least near Leader, reporting 3 per cent. Farmers report that fields are still wet, but they have begun some work including harvesting leftover crops from 2019. Rain is needed, but grass is greening and ranchers expect to move cattle soon. Topsoil moisture for both crop and hayland Is rated at 80 per cent adequate over the entire region. 10-9
