Crop Report 2008 Crop Report October 5, 2008
Saskatchewan farmers have harvested 95 per cent of the 2008 crop, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report. This is up from 82 per cent last week. Last year at this time, harvesting progress also stood at 95 per cent; the five-year average (2003-07) is 82 per cent harvested. Harvest has progressed the furthest in the northeast, where it is 98 per cent complete. The south-western and west central regions have 96 per cent of the crops harvested. The northwest has the largest amount of crop left in the field, but harvest is still reported as 89 per cent complete. Yield estimates point to well-above-average production. With 97 per cent of spring wheat harvested, crop reporters estimate that 86 per cent will fall into the top two grades, compared with the 10-year average of 68 per cent. Ergot was a downgrading factor in a number of areas. During the past week, crop damage was caused by wind, frost, ergot, sprouting, bleaching, grasshoppers, waterfowl and wild game. Farmers are spraying and fertilizing, hauling bales, picking rocks and doing other fall work. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Deadlines for October: October 31 is the deadline to pay 2008 premiums without interest being charged.
South eastern Saskatchewan The south eastern region saw generally good harvesting weather this past week, with some strong winds near the end of the week. The highest rainfall amount was 1 mm in CD 2b. Crop damage from wind, including shattering, lodging and scattering of swaths, was reported in the Kisbey, Tantallon, Whitewood, Weyburn, Fillmore, Montmartre, Odessa, and Ceylon areas. Ninety-five per cent of the 2008 south eastern crop has been harvested, with a further 4% lying in the swath or ready to straight combine. Crops that are less than 95% harvested include oats, triticale, flax, sunflowers, canary seed, and chickpeas. Some grain in the area is tough and grain dryers are in use. Three-quarters of the spring wheat crop is estimated to fall into the top two grades. Several areas, including Fillmore, Montmartre, Broadview, Vibank, and Tantallon reported that ergot was a downgrading factor. Grain movement is slow in some areas and crops are being piled on the ground due to a shortage of storage space. Some oats still in the fields in the Moosomin area are badly moulded. Wheat and barley swaths still out in the Zehner area are expected to be feed grade when combined. Some chickpeas in the Ceylon area seem to be turning green again. South eastern yields of flax, sunflowers, and chickpeas are expected to be the highest in the province, while average yields of fall rye, lentils, and canary seed are expected to be the lowest. Grasshoppers damaged fall-seeded crops in the Stoughton area. Topsoil moisture conditions declined during the past week. Seventy per cent of the crop land is rated as being adequate, compared to 81% last week. Similarly, 72% of the hay and pasture land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared to 83% last week. Farmers are spraying, harrowing, hauling bales, burning flax straw, picking rocks, baling straw, fencing, putting away machinery, hauling fertilizer, haying, and spreading manure. Cattle are being moved from summer pastures, and, in some cases, being placed on stubble for fall grazing. Fall-seeded crops are coming up well in the Kisbey area. In the Briercrest area, two fires caused the loss of a combine and a baler this past week.
South western Saskatchewan The southwest had good harvest weather this past week. The highest crop district rainfall was an average of 1 mm in CD 3asw. Some bleaching was reported in the Shaunavon and Hazlet areas. Dirt was blowing in the Limerick area late in the week. Ninety-six per cent of the 2008 south western crop has been harvested, and a further 2% is lying in the swath or ready to be straight combined. Crops that are less than 95% harvested include flax, sunflowers, canary seed, and chickpeas. South western average yields are expected to be the highest in the province for fall rye and lentils, and the lowest for spring wheat, durum, oats, barley, flax, canola, mustard, and peas. Over 90% of the south western spring wheat crop is expected to fall into the top two grades. Topsoil moisture conditions declined during the past week. Fifty per cent of the crop land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared with 71% last week. Forty-three per cent of the hay and pasture land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared with 59% last week. Rain is needed to improve moisture conditions and facilitate fall work. Grasshoppers damaged fall-seeded crops in the Bengough, Lafleche, and Shaunavon areas. Some insecticide spraying took place. Sawflies continued to cause problems in the Hazlet area. Kochia weeds are causing damage to crops in some areas. Farmers are baling, putting on Edge, summerfallowing, spraying, picking rocks, and hauling bales. Farmers in the Mossbank area were having trouble sourcing Edge. Some south western farmers are selling their calves because they have no pasture for them. Others were moving their cattle off pastures. Some farmers were still seeding fall rye and winter wheat. Fall triticale and winter wheat have emerged in the Consul area. Several areas are experiencing water shortages for livestock including Lafleche, Moose Jaw, Coderre, and Mankota. There were reports of fuel being stolen from combines and trucks in the Glenbain area.
East central Saskatchewan The east central region had good harvest weather this past week, with some strong winds. Crop District 6a was the only CD to have measurable rainfall. Crop damage from frost was reported in the Jedburgh and Quill Lake areas. Wind damage, including scattering of swaths and shattering of standing crops, was reported in the Stockholm, Ituna, Raymore, Bethune, Earl Grey, Holdfast, Imperial, Semans, Nokomis, Young, Leroy, and Humboldt areas. Ninety-five per cent of the 2008 east central crop has been harvested, and a further 5% is lying in the swath or is ready to be straight combined. Crops that are less than 95% harvested include flax, sunflowers, and canary seed. Eighty per cent of the east central hard red spring wheat is expected to fall into the top two grades. Grains in some areas were downgraded because of ergot. There was lots of tough and damp grain harvested in the Langenburg area. East central average yields are expected to be the highest in the province for winter wheat, spring wheat, and durum. There are grain piles on the ground in the Langenburg, Young, and Bradwell areas. Topsoil moisture conditions continued to decline. Fifty-one per cent of the crop land and 43% of the hay and pasture land are rated as having adequate topsoil moisture conditions, compared with 71% and 58%, respectively, last week. Rain will be needed soon for fall field work. Grasshoppers damaged fall-seeded crops in the Lumsden and Holdfast areas. Migrating birds are damaging crops in the Jedburgh area. Wild game damaged crops in the Goodeve area. Farmers are baling, spraying, putting up hay, harrowing, fertilizing, hauling bales, burning kochia, and putting machinery away. A fire consumed some acres of standing wheat in the Lockwood area – pushed by 60 km/hr winds, the fire ran for two miles, stopping when it hit a creek.
West central Saskatchewan The west central region was warm, dry, and windy this past week. There was no precipitation recorded. The winds damaged crops in the Hanley, Outlook, and Conquest areas. Some standing crops were shattered, and swaths were blown around. Ninety-six per cent of the 2008 west central crop has been harvested, with a further 3% lying in the swath or ready to straight combine. Crops that are less than 95% harvested include oats, flax, sunflowers, canary seed, and chickpeas. West central average yields are expected to be the lowest in the province for winter wheat, sunflowers, and chickpeas. Ninety-five per cent of the hard red spring wheat harvested is expected to fall into the top two grades. There are piles of grain on the ground in the Outlook, Biggar, and Tramping Lake areas. Topsoil moisture continued to decline during the past week. Twenty-four per cent of the crop land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared with 39% last week. Sixteen per cent of the hay and pasture land is rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared to 30% last week. In the Biggar area, there were long trails of dust behind moving vehicles. Water fowl damaged crops in the Tramping Lake area. Some ergot showed up in the Marengo, Biggar, Luseland, and Battleford areas. Farmers were spraying, hauling bales, harrowing, and baling straw. Some cattle were moved out of the community pasture. Hay is in short supply in the Biggar area.
North eastern Saskatchewan The northeast saw good combining weather during the past week. The largest rainfall amount was 3 mm in the CD 9ae. Winds damaged crops, especially canola, in the Vonda, Tisdale and Hoey areas. Ninety-eight per cent of the 2008 north eastern crop has been combined, and a further 2% is lying in the swath or ready to be straight combined. Crops that are less than 95% harvested include flax and canary seed. North eastern yields of oats, barley, triticale, canola, mustard, peas, and canary seed are expected to be the highest in the province. Some farmers in the Pleasantdale area were using the large grain bags to store crops. Eighty-five per cent of the north eastern hard red spring wheat is expected to fall into the top two grades. Topsoil moisture continued to decline. Twenty per cent of the crop land and twenty-five per cent of the hay and pasture land were rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared with 32% and 27%, respectively, last week. Water is getting short in the Aberdeen area. There was ergot in the wheat in the Codette area. Fall rye and winter wheat did not germinate well in the Vonda area. Farmers were spraying, harrowing, baling, weaning calves, and burning and working sloughs. Fall field work is minimal because of the very dry conditions.
North western Saskatchewan The north western region was warm, dry, and windy during the past week. The largest amount of rainfall (7 mm) was recorded in CD 9aw. Frost damaged unharvested crops in the North Battleford area. Eighty-nine per cent of the 2008 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 oats, triticale, flax, canola, and mustard. North of Glaslyn, grain samples continue to test tough to damp due to immature kernels. North western yields of triticale are expected to be the lowest in the province. Yields in the Neilburg area were variable (spring wheat, canola, and peas ranged from 25 to 50 bu./acre while barley ranged from 40 to 75 bu./acre). Eighty-six per cent of the harvested hard red spring wheat is expected to fall into the top two grades. Ergot was a downgrading factor in the Hafford and Meadow Lake areas. Topsoil moisture conditions continued to decline. Thirty-five per cent of the crop land and thirty per cent of the hay and pasture land were rated as having adequate topsoil moisture, compared with 50% and 39%, respectively, last week. Once the harvest is off, rain will be welcomed. Feed supplies are short in the Turtleford area. Grasshoppers damaged fall-seeded crops in the North Battleford area. Farmers were applying fertilizer, baling, weaning calves, and hauling bales. Cattle are being moved off summer pastures.
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