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Crop Conditions as of October 13, 2015
Abbreviated Report
Dry and warm weather has facilitated harvest progress during the past week. Provincially, 87 per cent of crops have been harvested, up 14 per cent from last week (see Table 1), while nine per cent of crops are still in swath (down eight per cent from a week ago) and four per cent remain standing (down six per cent from last week). Across the province, almost all dry peas, 92 per cent of spring wheat, 87 per cent of barley, 82 per cent of oats, and 80 per cent of canola were harvested. Crops still in the field are mostly late germinating crops, reseeded crops and some late seeded canola. Only four per cent of spring wheat, seven per cent of barley, 10 per cent of oats and three per cent of canola is still standing.
Harvest is most advanced in the South Region with 99 per cent of crops in the bin, followed by the Peace Region, with 95 per cent harvested. About 82 per cent of crops in the North East Region, 80 per cent in the Central Region, and 74 per cent in the North West Region have been harvested.
Pasture conditions are still rated poor, and did not change much from the previous week. Provincially, only 29 per cent of pastures are rated as good to excellent, down two per cent from last week. About 89 per cent of pastures in the Peace Region, 79 per cent in the North West Region, 76 per cent in the Central region, 68 per cent in the North East Region and 58 per cent in the South Region are rated as poor to fair.
Provincially, soil moisture reserves overall have decreased less than one per cent from last week and are rated as 60 per cent good to excellent. Sub-surface soil moisture reserves remain unchanged, and are rated as 51 per cent good to excellent (see Table 2).
REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS:
The 2015 Alberta Crop Report Series continues to provide summaries for the following five regions:
Region One: Southern (Strathmore, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Foremost)
- Warm and windy conditions allowed farmers to finish up harvesting and to get some fall work done. Harvest is 99 per cent complete. The majority of unharvested crops are sugar beets and some late seeded canola.
- Pasture conditions are now rated as 42 per cent good to excellent, down two per cent from last week.
- Surface and sub-surface soil moisture conditions have improved about two per cent from a week ago and are rated, respectively, as 57 per cent and 50 per cent good to excellent.
- Fall seeded crops are rated as seven per cent poor, 26 per cent fair, 48 per cent good and 19 per cent excellent.
Region Two: Central (Rimbey, Airdrie, Coronation, Oyen)
- Recent warm, dry and windy weather helped farmers to get harvest in full swing again. Overall, 80 per cent of the crop is already in the bin (up 19 per cent from a week ago), while 11 per cent is swathed and nine per cent is standing. Just seven per cent of canola is standing, with 15 per cent swathed and 78 per cent harvested. About 10 per cent of spring wheat, nine per cent of barley and 15 per cent of oats are still standing.
- Pasture condition is rated as 24 per cent good to excellent, up more than one per cent from a week ago.
- Surface soil moisture conditions in the region have decreased seven per cent and are rated as 69 per cent good to excellent. Sub-surface soil moisture ratings declined four per cent, and are rated as 68 per cent good to excellent.
- Fall seeded crops are rated as four per cent poor, 19 per cent fair, 71 per cent good and six per cent excellent
Region Three: North East (Smoky Lake, Vermilion, Camrose, Provost)
- Harvest has progressed very well in the region, but rainfall over the weekend stopped harvest. Severe winds caused some damage to standing and swathed canola. Cereal sprouting is reducing the crop quality. Nearly 82 per cent of the crops are already in the bin (up 23 per cent from last week), with 14 per cent in the swath and four per cent standing. About 70 per cent of canola is harvested, with 28 per cent swathed. Almost four per cent of spring wheat, 11 per cent of barley and oats and two per cent of canola is still standing.
- Pasture conditions are rated as 68 per cent poor to fair, up seven per cent from last week.
- Both surface and sub-surface soil moisture conditions have improved and are rated as 73 per cent and 58 per cent good to excellent, respectively.
- Fall seeded crops are rated as four per cent fair, 92 per cent good and four per cent excellent.
Region Four: North West (Barrhead, Edmonton, Leduc, Drayton Valley, Athabasca)
- Good harvest progress has been made the past week, but frost and morning dew shortened the drying day. Severe winds reported in some parts of the region, caused damage to standing and swathed canola. Approximately 74 per cent of the crops are harvested (up 22 per cent from last week), while 18 per cent is in the swath and eight per cent standing. About 60 per cent of canola has been harvested and 33 per cent swathed. Nearly seven per cent of spring wheat, 15 per cent of barely, 13 per cent of oats, and seven per cent of canola is still standing.
- Pasture conditions are rated as 79 per cent poor to fair, up less than one per cent from last week.
- Both surface and sub-surface soil moisture conditions did not change from last week and are rated as 34 and 14 per cent good to excellent, respectively.
- Fall seeded crops are rated as 66 per cent fair, 17 per cent good and 17 per cent excellent.
Region Five: Peace River (Fairview, Falher, Grande Prairie, Valleyview)
- Harvest is almost completed for the current crop year. The majority of unharvested acres are late germinating or reseeded crops in the spring. About 95 per cent of the crops have been combined (up 10 per cent from last week), with three per cent in the swath and two per cent standing. Close to 94 per cent of canola has been harvested, while five per cent swathed and one per cent is still standing. About two per cent of spring wheat and three per cent of barley and oats are still standing.
- Pasture conditions are rated as 89 per cent poor to fair, almost unchanged from a week ago.
- Surface and sub-surface soil moisture conditions are rated as 44 and 39 per cent good to excellent, respectively.
- Fall seeded crops are rated as 19 per cent poor, 55 per cent fair, and 26 per cent good.
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
Ashan Shooshtarian, Crop Statistician
Economics and Competitiveness Division
E-mail: ashan.shooshtarian@gov.ab.ca
Statistics and Data Development Branch
Phone: 780-422-2887
October 16, 2015
Note to Users: The contents of this document may not be used or reproduced without properly accrediting Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Economics and Competitiveness Division’s Statistics and Data Development Branch.
The 2015 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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