Alberta Crop Conditions as of August 19, 2014 - Abbreviated Report

The weather continued to be warm and dry with a few scattered showers, especially in the Central and North East Regions. Crop growing conditions have decreased seven per cent from a week ago and are rated as 67 per cent good to excellent. There has been a drop of over 10 per cent in overall crop conditions in the North West Region. Provincially, 66 to 68 per cent of spring wheat, barley and canola, and about 71 to 72 per cent of oats and dry peas are in good to excellent condition (see Table 2).

Some producers have been busy wrapping up haying operations, as well as hauling grain and bales. Tame hay and pasture growth is rated as 52 per cet good to excellent, down 10 per cent from a week ago.

Provincially, sub-soil moisture reserves in the province have decreased six per cent from last week and are rated as 58 per cent good to excellent, while in the North East Region it is above 80 per cent good to excellent. Overall, surface soil moisture is rated as 64 per cent good to excellent.

REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS:
The 2014 Alberta Crop Report Series continues to provide summaries for the following five regions:

Region One: Southern (Strathmore, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Foremost)

• Hot, dry weather, high humidity and very few spotty showers during the past two weeks advanced crop development.
• Overall, about 12 per cent of cereals are in the bin and/or swathed. About 85 per cent of canola is still standing, with 14 per cent swathed and one per cent in the bin. Spring wheat is mostly still standing and dry beans are 27 per cent harvested.
• About 71 to 73 per cent of spring, barley and canola are in good to excellent condition, while oats and dry peas are 81 per cent and 82 per cent, respectively. Pasture and tame hay growth is rated as 46 per cent good to excellent.
• Sub-surface moisture is rated at 58 per cent good to excellent.

• Few showers and cooler temperatures were reported across the region.
• About 98 per cent of spring wheat, barley, oats, canola and dry peas are still standing.
• In terms of crops conditions, 67 per cent of cereals are rated as good to excellent, up two per cent from last week. Pasture conditions are reported as 56 per cent good to excellent, while tame hay is 60 per cent good to excellent.
• Sub-surface moisture is rated as 67 per cent good to excellent, up two per cent from a week ago.

• This region experienced hot weather and few isolated showers. The lack of moisture over the past week is already starting to affect crop conditions and yield potentials.
• While swathing of most crops is underway in all regions, combining is just starting in some areas, particularly for dry peas.
• Overall, 81 per cent of crops are in good to excellent condition in the region, down six per cent from last week. Tame hay and pasture growth is rated as 75 per cent good to excellent, down 14 per cent from a week ago.
• Sub-surface moisture is rated as 84 per cent good to excellent, down nine per cent from a week ago.

• The hot weather and lack of moisture is starting to affect crop conditions and yield potentials.
• Swathing just started in some areas of the region and is two per cent completed. Harvest has not started yet, but is expected to be in full progress across the region within the next week.
• Conditions of most primary crops are rated 73 per cent good to excellent, down 10 per cent from last week. Tame hay and pasture growth is rated about 40 per cent good to excellent, down 23 per cent from a week ago.
• The good to excellent sub-surface soil moisture conditions decreased by 13 per cent to 37 per cent.

• An extended period of hot, dry weather during the past week continued to affect crop conditions and yield potential.
• Swathing of most crops is underway and reported as 15 per cent complete; combining is just starting in some areas, especially for dry peas.
• Overall, 44 per cent of crops are in good to excellent condition in the region, down eight per cent from last week. Tame hay and pasture growth is rated as 42 per cent good to excellent, down five per cent from a week ago.
• Sub-surface moisture is rated as 45 per cent good to excellent, down six per cent from a week ago.

  Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Lukas Matejovsky, Crop Statistician E-mail: lukas.matejovsky@gov.ab.ca Phone: 780-422-2887 Economics and Competitiveness Division Statistics and Data Development Branch August 22, 2014 Note to Users: The contents of this document may not be used or reproduced without properly accrediting Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Economics and Competitiveness Division, Statistics and Data Development Branch. The 2014 Alberta crop reporting series is available on the Internet at: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sdd4191