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This information has been made available by Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.
The August 4, 2015 Alberta Crop Report is also available as a PDF file on the AFSC website
Alberta Crop Conditions as of August 4, 2015 (Abbreviated Report)
Crops were under significant stress this past week with the return of above average temperatures breaking a 4 week period of moderate conditions during which most crops were able to move through their very sensitive reproductive stage. Combined with limited precipitation in the more northerly regions, provincial crop condition ratings declined only minimally based upon a significant decline in the South region being offset by small improvements in the Central and North East regions and little change to ratings in the North West and Peace. See Table #1.
Crop development is progressing quickly due to the warm temperatures. Harvest of winter cereals, field peas, and early barley has started in southern Alberta and will move north into the eastern portion of the Central region very shortly. Canola is in full flower in many areas of the province with a wide variance in crop stage within fields. This situation will bring about difficult decisions regarding when to swath to reduce shattering losses as well as cause reductions in grade due to green seed content.
Soil moisture ratings declined marginally with much of the change occurring in the Good to Fair category. 28% of the province is rated Poor for both surface and subsoil moisture. Hay/pasture ratings declined 2 percentage points on the week with the bulk of the change occurring in the Good to Fair category. See Table #2.
Regional Assessments:
The 2015 Alberta Crop Report Series provides summaries for the following five regions:
Region One: Southern (Strathmore, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Foremost)
- Hot, dry weather resulted in a significant decline to crop condition ratings (down 8 points).
- Crops maturing quickly with spring cereals averaging soft dough stage.
- Harvest of winter cereals, field peas and early barley underway in east and central areas of the region.
- Sub soil moisture ratings declined 5 points to 30% good or excellent.
- Hay/pasture ratings fell 3 points to 14% good or excellent.
Region Two: Central (Rimbey, Airdrie, Coronation, Oyen)
- Very warm, dry week with temperatures approaching 30 C.
- Crop development progressing quickly with spring cereals averaging the late milk stage.
- Harvest of winter cereals and field peas should get underway very shortly in east portion of region.
- Good regrowth of hay and pastures reported in west portion of region due to July precipitation.
- Sub soil moisture ratings were unchanged at 25% good or excellent.
- Hay/pasture ratings declined 2 points to 19% good or excellent.
Region Three: North East (Smoky Lake, Vermilion, Camrose, Provost)
- Growing conditions virtually unchanged as light precipitation helped to maintain soil moisture ratings.
- Crop condition ratings improved marginally to 36% rated good or excellent
- Grasshoppers continue to be an issue in some areas as they move off dried out hay and pasture fields.
- Sub soil moisture ratings declined slightly to 30% good or excellent.
- Hay/pasture ratings declined slightly principally with movement from Good to Fair ratings categories.
Region Four: North West (Barrhead, Edmonton, Leduc, Drayton Valley, Athabasca)
- Experienced warm weather with very light precipitation.
- Crop development advancing rapidly with harvest potentially starting in 10 – 14 days.
- Crop condition ratings declined marginally to 15% rated good or excellent.
- Grasshoppers continue to be an issue in some areas as they move off dried out hay and pasture fields.
- Soil moisture ratings showed little change with 48% of the region rated Poor.
- Hay/pastures declined marginally with a 1 percentage point change from Good to Fair category.
Region Five: Peace River (Fairview, Falher, Grande Prairie, Valleyview)
- Highly variable rainfall amounts across the region with amounts varying from 0 to 50 mm. Sub soil moisture ratings declined 3 points to 27% rated good or excellent due to the high variability.
- Crops progressing well as spring cereals enter the dough stage.
- Crop condition ratings were unchanged at 19% rated good or excellent.
- Hay/pasture ratings showed a slight decline to 21% good or excellent.
James Wright, Risk Analyst
Agriculture Financial Services Corporation
Actuarial, Analytics & Forecasting Unit
Lacombe, Alberta
Email: james.wright@afsc.ca
Telephone: (403)782-8336
August 7, 2015
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