Pasture conditions are generally poor throughout the province, according to the first crop report of the 2021 season, but high yields last year should see enough forage reserve to supply ranchers even though demand is rising in part because of a slowdown in cattle shipments.--News photo Collin Gallant
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Cash crops, peas and lentils are helping southern Alberta lead the pack in terms of seeding this spring, according to Alberta Agriculture’s first crop report of 2021.
That said, two thirds of the acres set aside for durum are also complete, leading to an overall estimate that planting all crops was about halfway done as of May 4.
Chick peas, potatoes, dry peas and lentils are also past the halfway mark, while sugar beets are almost entirely in.
All planting is at 45.5 per cent finished, well above last year’s progress at this point (28.1 per cent), which was right on the five-year average.
Dry and cool overnight conditions are hampering emergence and pasture in the Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Foremost and Strathmore regions.
There, only about half of pasture and tame hay is good shape, and conditions are generally poor in the province.
The situation is worst in northern Alberta, but with high yields last fall forage reserves are considered adequate even though cattle are moving more slowly to processing.
About three-quarters of fall seeded crops are in good to excellent condition across the south.
Sask reports
The southwest corner is leading the way in terms of seeding in Saskatchewan with about one-fifth of acres complete, and more advanced closest to Alberta, but the area is showing the signs of a dry winter and spring.
The provincial crop report states about half of cropland and two thirds of pasture is rated as short at this point in the season across the quadrant of the province.
About 19 per cent progress is recorded in planting at May 3, with lentils (30 per cent), followed by peas (27 per cent), barley (22 per cent), canola (20 per cent) and durum (19 per cent).
