Vast majority of pasture, cropland in SW Saskatchewan short of moisture
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on August 19, 2023.
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews All but five per cent of cropland and pasture in southwest Saskatchewan is short of moisture, that province reports in the latest edition of its crop report. As much as 55 per cent is considered very short and pockets of rain in the region before Aug. 14 reporting date barely slowed combining. The overall harvest is considered one-fifth complete, slightly ahead of the five-year average. Winter wheat acres were 26 per cent complete. Barley jumped to 40 per cent complete with about five per cent of the crop now expected to go to cattle feed. Field peas led at 48 per cent, followed by lentils (40 per cent) and fall rye (38 per cent). “Producers are hoping for widespread, slow, soaking rains once the crops are off,” the report concludes. Across Saskatchewan, 56 per cent of the winter wheat crop is in the bin, and 61 per cent of fall rye. The Alberta Crop report is on hiatus until its next scheduled edition on Aug. 25. The most recent edition on Aug. 8 described rapidly advancing harvest in the south and yield estimates for the region at one-third less than the five-year average. 12-11
