A wet and cool week stalled most harvest operations in the province. Sixty-two per cent of the crop is now in the bin, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report. The five-year (2013-2017) average is 53 per cent for this time of year. Twenty-six per cent of the crop is now swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Rain fell over the majority of the province, with the largest amounts being reported in the central and northern regions. Many areas in these regions recorded more than 30 mm of rain. Snow was reported in the northwest region.
Harvest is most advanced in the southwest region, where 86 per cent of the crop is now combined. The southeast region has 84 per cent combined, the west-central 57 per cent and the east-central region 55 per cent. The northeast region has 29 per cent combined while the northwest region has 17 per cent combined.
Ninety-six per cent of lentils, 95 per cent of field peas, 78 per cent of durum, 50 per cent of spring wheat, 44 per cent of canola and 25 per cent of flax has now been combined.
Across the province, topsoil moisture conditions have improved. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as four per cent surplus, 40 per cent adequate, 37 per cent short and 19 per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 31 per cent adequate, 38 per cent short and 31 per cent very short.
Limited rainfall throughout many regions of the province has pasture conditions rated as 14 per cent in good condition, 23 per cent in fair condition, 36 per cent in poor condition and 27 per cent in very poor condition.
The majority of crop damage was due to lodging and rain causing quality loss.
SaskPower says there were two reported cases of farm machinery contacting electrical equipment over the last week, bringing the total in September to eight. You can find out more about being safe around power lines by visiting www.saskpower.com/safety.
A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online at www.saskatchewan.ca/crop-report.
Follow the 2018 Crop Report on Twitter at @SKAgriculture.
