Crop Report: Rains delay seeding but no one is complaining
By Medicine Hat News on May 25, 2024.
@MedicineHatNews Rain has delayed seeding across Alberta, but farm producers are welcoming the precipitation and ranchers are watching pasture conditions improve, according to the latest Alberta crop report. Little runoff from the dry winter stunted pasture and hay land earlier this spring, but rain over the past three weeks moved ratings to 30 per cent fair and 60 per cent good at the May 21 reporting date. “Sun and warm weather are needed soon to see the full growth benefits,” the report states. In terms of crop land in the south region, 90 per cent of acres are now classed fair, good or excellent for sub-soil moisture. Major crops in the Medicine Hat, Foremost, Lethbridge and Strathmore regions are 70 per cent seeded, slightly behind the five-year average. Across the provincial boundary, seeding from Leader and Fox Valley to Swift Current is three-quarters complete, according to the latest Saskatchewan crop report released Friday. The whole southwest quadrant fell behind the long-term average for crop seeding completion as rains in the region delayed some work. That precipitation however, pushed soil moisture ratings to more than 90 per cent adequate after several years of shortfall. Pasture land featured similar ratings and general hay land condition is now considered to be 14 per cent excellent, 52 per cent good and 27 per cent fair. Seeding is about two-thirds complete in Maple Creek and Eastend as well as areas toward Moose Jaw. Seeding was at the halfway mark around Ponteix and Mankato. 13-12
