Crop Report October 9, 2007

Ninety-four per cent of the 2007 harvest is complete to date, compared to the five-year (2002-06) average of 82 per cent, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food's weekly crop report.

The southern part of the province is furthest advanced with 99 per cent complete. The northeast is least advanced with 80 per cent combined. Yield estimates continue to point to below average total production. Overall, quality could be considered average.

According to crop reporters, producers in some regions expect to finish harvest this coming week, while those in other regions may need until the end of October. Producers who have finished harvesting have begun fall work, including straw baling, hauling bales, rock picking, fertilizer application, and harrowing.

Frosts, rain, and migratory birds caused the majority of the crop damage during the past week.

South eastern Saskatchewan - (Crop Districts 1, 2, & 3ase)

The south eastern region saw some windy weather as well as some showers near the end of the week.  An average of 27 mm of precipitation was reported, ranging from an average low of 18 mm reported in CD 2b, to an average high of 41 mm reported in CD 3ase.  The Minton area received over 50 mm.  Wind damaged crops in CDs 1b and 2b.  Frost, flooding, and drought damaged some crops in CD 2b.        

Ninety-nine per cent of the 2007 south eastern crop has been harvested, with a further 1% lying in the swath or ready to straight combine.  Sunflowers are the only crop that is less than 90% harvested.

South eastern yields of sunflowers are expected to be the highest in the province, while average yields of triticale are expected to be the lowest.  Barley and later-seeded canola yields were disappointing in the Manor area.  Canary seed yields were disappointing in the Rocanville area.        

Topsoil moisture conditions improved during the past week.  Sixty-five per cent of the crop land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared to 19% last week.  Sixty per cent of the hay and pasture land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared to 15% last week.    

Farmers are hoping that the recent rains will help fall-seeded crops to germinate.  Fall work includes spraying herbicide, harrowing, burning flax straw, hauling bales, moving livestock, fixing fences, cleaning corrals, soil tests, and hauling grain.  Moose and elk were damaging fences in the Tantallon area. 

South western Saskatchewan - (CDs 3asw, 3an, 3b, & 4)

Some areas in the southwest received welcome rain during the past week.  An average of 13 mm of precipitation was reported, ranging from an average low of 6 mm reported in CDs 3bn and 4b, to an average high of 21 mm reported in CD 3asw.  Drought and wind caused localized crop damage.    

Ninety-nine per cent of the 2007 south western crop has been harvested, and a further 1% is lying in the swath or ready to be straight combined.  All crops are at least 98% harvested.  A heavy frost is needed in some areas to finish harvesting the flax.     

South western average yields are expected to be the lowest in the province for winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, barley, flax, canola, mustard, peas, and canary seed.       

Topsoil moisture conditions have again improved.  Thirty-eight per cent of the crop land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared with 17% last week.  Twenty-five per cent of the hay and pasture land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared with 7% last week.    

Grasshoppers and gophers damaged crops in the Fife Lake area.

Farmers are fencing, applying herbicides, hauling bales, moving cattle home, picking rocks, harrowing, hauling grain, clearing sloughs and weed patches, fencing, and selling calves.  Some cow/calf producers are considering holding their calves in light of poor calf prices.  There remains a shortage of water for livestock in the Spring Valley and Mankota areas.  Winter wheat still has not emerged in the Moose Jaw area.  Fall rye was seeded in the Maple Creek area last week now that the soil has some moisture.        

East central Saskatchewan - (Crop Districts 5 & 6a)

The east central region was warm and dry at the start of the week, but got cool and wet as the week wore on.  An average of 13 mm of precipitation was reported, ranging from an average low of 7 mm reported in CD 6a, to an average high of 24 mm reported in CD 5a.  The moisture was generally welcome, even though it delayed harvest.  Frost, wind and rain caused crop damage, including staining and bleaching.    

Ninety-three per cent of the 2007 east central crop has been harvested, and a further 6% is lying in the swath or is ready to be straight combined.  Grain dryers were going strong.  Crops that are less than 90% harvested include flax, sunflowers, and canary seed.        

East central average yields are expected to be the lowest in the province for chickpeas.  Wheat midge stole some spring wheat yields.  Yields were a big disappointment in the Humboldt area and cereal quality was also disappointing, with low bushel weights for oats and barley, and poor quality for wheat.     

Topsoil moisture conditions are similar to last week.  Seventy-four per cent of the crop land and 78% of the hay and pasture land are rated as having adequate topsoil moisture conditions.    

Migrating birds are damaging crops in the Kelvington area. 

Farmers were baling straw, moving cattle to harvested fields, hauling bales, working stubble, applying fertilizer, soil testing and fencing.  Late-seeded canola in the Insinger area has 6 to 8% green seed.  Winter wheat is establishing well in the Lumsden area.  

West central Saskatchewan - (Crop Districts 6b & 7)

The west central region saw some nice weather earlier in the week with cool damp weather later on.  Precipitation was minimal, with a regional average of 1 mm.  Frost and rain caused weathering, including sprouting, staining, and bleaching. 

Ninety-five per cent of the 2007 west central crop has been harvested, with a further 4% lying in the swath or ready to straight combine.  Crops that are less than 90% harvested include oats, flax, and sunflowers.  Grain dryers were running.        

West central average yields are expected to be the highest in the province for durum, lentils, peas, and chickpeas, and the lowest for fall rye and sunflowers. 

Topsoil moisture conditions dried during the past week.  Forty-nine per cent of the crop land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared with 63% last week.  Fifty-five per cent of the hay and pasture land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared to 68% last week.

Several areas had midge damage in their wheat samples.      

Farmers were hauling bales, spraying weeds, applying anhydrous, working the sloughs, baling straw, weaning calves, harrowing, and soil testing.

North eastern Saskatchewan - (Crop Districts 8 & 9ae)

The northeast saw some good combining weather during the past week, but rain later in the week stopped harvest progress.  An average of 3 mm was reported.  Frost, wind, and rain caused localized crop damage.  Bleaching is a concern, especially with wheat.  Sprouting was also a problem.  Canola seed is red coming off some fields.  Bushel weights are down in oats.        

Eighty per cent of the 2007 north eastern crop has been combined, with a further 18% lying in the swath or ready to be straight combined.  Crops that are less than 80% harvested include oats, flax, canola, and canary seed.  Some crops that were seeded late are not mature yet.  Grain dryers were running.  For some areas, this past week saw the first time this harvest season that there were five consecutive days of combining - even if they were only partial days.        

North eastern yields of oats, triticale, mustard, and canary seed are expected to be the highest in the province, while average yields of durum and lentils are expected to be the lowest.   

Topsoil moisture conditions remained similar to last week.  Ninety-nine per cent of the crop, hay and pasture land were rated as having adequate topsoil moisture.     

Wild game and waterfowl caused damage in CD 8b, and have been for several weeks.

Farmers were starting to put on anhydrous, and were baling straw, doing fall weed control and tillage. 

North western Saskatchewan - (Crop Districts 9aw & 9b)

The north western region was cool and cloudy in many areas during the past week.  An average of less than ½ mm of precipitation fell.  Some northern areas reported frost damage to their crops.  A lot of the spring wheat in the Meadow Lake area will grade 3 CW or lower.

Eighty-nine per cent of the 2007 north western crop has been harvested, with a further 10% lying in the swath or ready to be straight combined.  Crops that are less than 90% harvested include spring wheat, oats, barley, and flax.  Wheat midge damage continues to show up in combined crops.  Crops continue to be tough and aeration bins and grain dryers are in use where they are available.        

North western yields of winter wheat, spring wheat, barley, fall rye, flax, and canola are expected to be the highest in the province.

Topsoil moisture conditions remained similar to last week.  Ninety-one per cent of the crop land and eighty-nine per cent of the hay and pasture land were rated as having adequate topsoil moisture.    

Geese and ducks damaged crops in CD 9aw.   

Farmers also hauled some bales and applied fall herbicide and fertilizer.