Hay bales are backdropped by hills along the Eagle Butte Road south of Medicine Hat in this photo from Aug. 25.--News photo Collin Gallant
@MedicineHatNews
Yields are up across Alberta in 2024, according to new figures in the Alberta crop report, including an extra one and three-quarter tons of hay per irrigated acre in southern Alberta compared to last year.
Major crop yields are also nearly one-fifth bigger compared to recent averages in the south region.
Initial estimates in Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Strathmore and Foremost regions were (bushels per acre) 41.8 for spring wheat, 27.9 for canola, 55.6 for barley, 37.8 for dry peas and 53.6 for oats.
Together, that’s 19 per cent higher than the five-year average and seven per cent better than the 10-year figure.
Across the entire province however, yields are tracking seven per cent lower than the 10-year average.
In terms of hay, dry hay land acres across the province were also up slightly compared to a scorching 2023 growing season across Alberta. They were 1.5 and 0.9 tons per acre for first and second cuts this year.
On irrigated land, a first cut after a wet spring hay averaged 2.6 tons per acre, then 2.2 tons and a smaller third pass at 0.5 tons. Combined, that’s 1,600 pounds more than the five-year average, and 1.7 tons in total more than last year.
Total harvest progress sat at 87 per cent complete for major crops at Sept. 24, according to Alberta Agriculture.
Sask situation
The harvest in southwest Saskatchewan was nearing completion before heavy rain dropped as much as three inches of precipitation on areas from Richmound to Shaunavon last week.
Major crops were 96 per cent combined on Sept. 23, up slightly over the previous week, but will be above the five-year average.
That is a composite average with oats, flax and canola trailing. Yield estimates are not yet published.
Field reporters say the rain was needed to improve soil and pasture conditions, which are now rated as about 48 per cent adequate for moisture, 42 per cent short and 10 per cent very short.
Two out of five livestock producers report moderate water shortage.
