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Crop Conditions as June 14, 2016
During the past week, rain has continued to fall -- mostly in the form of wide spread thunderstorm activities. Almost all agricultural lands received up to 20 mm of rain, with large areas in North East, North West and Peace Regions receiving upwards of 50 mm (See Map). The generally warm wet weather across the province has contributed to crop advancement. While fall seeded crops across the province are in the head emergence or flowering stages, other cereals are largely in the stem elongation stage. Most canola and pulses are in the 4-6 leaf/node stage of development.
Provincially, crop growing conditions are 80 per cent good to excellent, up eight per cent from the 5-year average (2011-2015). About 83 per cent of spring wheat, 81 per cent of barley, 88 per cent of oats, 75 per cent of canola, 82 per cent of dry peas, 91 per cent of potatoes and 95 per cent of sugar beets are in good to excellent condition (See Table 1).
Recent rainfall maintained the surface soil moisture, with no change from the previous week, and also improved sub surface soil moisture conditions. Provincially, surface moisture was rated at 81 per cent good or excellent compared to 28 per cent a year ago (See Table 2). Sub-surface soil moisture conditions across the province have improved and are rated as 69 per cent good or excellent compared to 31 per cent last year and the 5-year average of 71 per cent.
Pasture and hay fields generally look good and haying has started in the province. The condition of both pasture and tame hay improved three per cent across the province to about 30 per cent poor to fair and 70 per cent good to excellent.
REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS:
The 2016 Alberta Crop Report Series continues to provide summaries for the following five regions:
Region One: Southern (Strathmore, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Foremost)
- Most cereals are in the elongation stage with fall seeded crops in head emergence stage. About 68 per cent of canola crops have 4-6 leaf/node now. Gophers are becoming a problem in some fields. Spraying is completed at 74 per cent of farms.
- Regionally, about 74 per cent of crops are in good to excellent condition.
- Both surface and sub-surface soil moisture declined and are rated at about 62 per cent good or excellent.
- Pasture conditions are reported as 46 per cent poor to fair, 54 per cent good to excellent with similar ratings reported for tame hay. Haying operations are underway, with 27 per cent of irrigated and 20 per cent of dryland completed.
Region Two: Central (Rimbey, Airdrie, Coronation, Oyen)
- Spring seeded crops are either in tillering or elongation stages of development; fall seeded crops are mostly in head emergence or flowering stages and most canola and pulses are in 4-6 leaf/node stage. About 60 per cent of spraying is completed. Gophers in this Region are becoming a problem.
- Regionally, almost 80 per cent of crops are in good to excellent condition.
- Surface and sub-surface soil moisture condition are rated at 79 and 76 per cent good to excellent, respectively.
- Pasture conditions are now reported as 26 per cent poor to fair and 74 per cent good to excellent with similar ratings reported for tame hay. Haying operations have started in a few fields.
Region Three: North East (Smoky Lake, Vermilion, Camrose, Provost)
- Most spring seeded cereals are tillering, with canola in the 1-3 leaf/node and dry peas in the 4-6 leaf/node stage. Spraying operations have been slowed due to rain and storms with windy days and only 58 per cent is complete. Some canola reseeds are reported mainly due to cut worms or gophers.
- Regionally, about 91 per cent of all crops are in good to excellent condition.
- Surface and sub-surface soil moisture are reported as 97 and 68 per cent good to excellent, respectively.
- Pasture conditions improved and are reported as seven per cent fair and 93 per cent good to excellent, with similar ratings reported for tame hay.
Region Four: North West (Barrhead, Edmonton, Leduc, Drayton Valley, Athabasca)
- Cooler wet conditions of the past week has slowed crop development (cereals are mostly in tillering stage) and spraying is 54 per cent completed. Some reseeding was reported due to cut worms.
- More than 90 per cent of crops are in good to excellent condition, while only 57 per cent of canola is in good to excellent condition.
- Surface and sub-surface soil moisture are rated as 97 and 69 per cent good to excellent, respectively.
- Pasture conditions are reported as 38 per cent fair, 62 per cent good to excellent with similar ratings reported for tame hay.
Region Five: Peace River (Fairview, Falher, Grande Prairie, Valleyview)
- Low lying fields are suffering from excess surface moisture. Most cereals are tillering. Spraying has been delayed by wet conditions with about 76 per cent complete.
- Regionally, 70 per cent of crops are in good to excellent conditions. Canola is suffering from seedling diseases and insect damage in a number of municipalities with only 64 per cent rated as good to excellent.
- Surface soil moisture are reported as 84 per cent good to excellent with six per cent excessive. Sub-surface soil moisture jumped 17 per cent from a week ago to 72 per cent good to excellent.
- Pasture conditions improved dramatically by 19 per cent and are rated as 32 per cent poor to fair and 68 per cent good to excellent, with similar rates for tame hay.
Ashan Shooshtarian, Crop Statistician
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
Economics and Competitiveness Branch
Statistics and Data Development Section
E-mail:ashan.shooshtarian@gov.ab.ca
Phone:780-422-2887
June 17, 2016
Note to Users: The contents of this document may not be used or reproduced without properly accrediting Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Economics and Competitiveness Branch, Statistics and Data Development Section
The 2016 Alberta crop reporting series is available on the Internet at: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sdd4191
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