Crop and weather update

Peace: Warm temperatures last week and over the weekend were welcomed for crop development. The crop is progressing well but still about 10 days behind. Some fields are at late pod with some early swathing started. Swathing will become more general in about 10 days to two weeks. There is a fair amount of the canola acreage that will not be cut until September 15 or later.

Alberta: Warm weather over the past week was needed for crop development. Crops in the south that started off three weeks behind are now about 10 days behind. There are still late crops (latest just coming out of flower) in central and northern areas. Some rain fell in southern parts (up to ½ an inch) and in the north around St. Paul. Crops look good in the south and swathing is occurring this week. Crops get later further north and crop stages within fields become variable. Some swathing has begun around Provost. Latest fields need frost to stay away until mid or late-September.

Saskatchewan: Hot conditions last week spawned isolated thundershowers with some hail in eastern areas. Swathing is about a week away in southeastern parts with reports of some combining in the Moose Jaw area with good yields. On the western side, swathing is wrapping up in the south and becomes less as you move north. Fields in northwest in Meadowlake area are still 1 to 2 weeks away from swathing and excess moisture is still an issue.

Manitoba: Rainfall amounts ranged from nothing to 3 inches at The Pas where crops are now in standing water. Up to an inch of rain with two hail storms fell north of Winnipeg (towards Beausejour). Lots of crop was already swathed so the hail did considerable damage. Most of the province is extremely dry. On average about 30% of the crop is swathed with swathing well underway this week. Earliest fields are combined (about 5% across the province) with yields varying widely (10 to 50 bu/acre) but generally somewhat below the five year average. Some volunteer canola fields have been combined with disappointing results (5 to 8 bu/acre). Generally eastern areas are ahead of the western side and latest fields still need a month before they are swathed.

Most recent crop reports issued in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.