Turn up the Heat, Please

Crop development ranges from early bloom (20%) in the late and re-seeded fields to fully podded in the early fields. Some of the very earliest fields in southwestern Manitoba and Saskatchewan are starting to show signs of color change but swathing is still estimated to be about three weeks away. Crop development continues to lag behind the long term average (about one to two weeks behind). Cool conditions persist so far this week and many locations report overnight lows in the single digits (as low as 2 to 3^oC), with Dapp, Alberta reporting a low of 0^oC on Wednesday morning. Across western Canada, significant heat (growing degree days) is needed within the month of August and into early September to have the canola crop mature with good quality at harvest before the first fall frost.

The latest crop report from Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture is available at:

http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/crprpt090729

The latest crop report from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development is available at:
http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Redirect.aspx?u=181743&q=136876005&lm=19904645&r=157603&qz=6ad15cbfa8fbdfd5dc53cbb9b9dc4af8
The following maps show growing degree days accumulating across western Canada this growing season:http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Redirect.aspx?u=180734&q=136876005&lm=19904645&r=157603&qz=a6c32d13007d2079ecb019feac203a11