Crop Conditions as of June 6, 2017 (Abbreviated Report)

The harvest of over wintered crops is estimated at 97% completed, leaving approximately 35-50,000 acres yet to be handled. Harvest is virtually complete in the Central region, 95-96% complete in the North East and North West and 98% done in the Peace. It is estimated that 35% of the spring threshed cereals to be of good feed quality, 45% have marginal feed quality and the remaining 20% having little or no feed value. 63% of the canola is grading 3 CAN or better with 31% grading sample due to damage.

Surface soil moisture ratings improved marginally on the week. Excessive moisture ratings continue to decline in all regions and now stand at 13.5% of the province. See Table #2. The poor/fair rating was unchanged at 9% while the good/excellent rating rose 1 percentage point to 77%.

Hay/pasture ratings were little changed on the week at 1% poor; 9% fair;
69% good; 21% excellent.



REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS:
The 2017 Alberta Crop Report Series continues to provide summaries for the following five regions:

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

• Warm temperatures in mid to upper 20’s. Light rain in amounts of 10 – 25 mm fell over the weekend tempering soil dryness concerns for the time being.
• Seeding has been virtually complete for more than a week with a small amount of clean up ongoing.
• Crops are 96% emerged, up from 80% emerged last week. Cereal crops are in tillering stages.
• Surface moisture rated at 83% good/excellent, unchanged from last week.
• Small reduction in hay/pasture ratings to 85% of region rated good or excellent (89% last week).

• Warm weather with temperatures in low to mid 20’s. Showers fell in central and west portions of region. 10 – 20 mm of rain in the east portion.
• Seeding nearing completion with a small amount of barley and oats yet to go in, principally in the west.
• Crops are 74% emerged versus 51% last week. Cereals average 5-6 leaf stage.
• Excessive surface moisture declined to below 3% of the region. Area rated good or excellent rose 1-2 points to 85%.
• Hay/pasture ratings declined marginally to 86% good/excellent from 87% last week.

• Warm weather with temperatures in low to mid 20’s. Light showers caused only short delays.
• Seeding estimated at 89% complete with principally barley and oats remaining. Seeding intentions are being affected by the lateness of the season.
• Emergence @ 57% compared to 22% last week. Cereals averaging 4 leaf stage.
• Improvement to surface moisture ratings with excessive declining 3-4 points to 29%. Remainder of region rated good or excellent.
• Hay/pasture ratings unchanged at 99% good or excellent.

• Warm temperatures in low to mid 20’s. 10-20 mm of rain fell entering the weekend slowing progress.
• Seeding estimated @ 90% completed with principally barley and oats remaining. Seeding intentions are being changed. Emergence at 47% with cereals averaging 2 leaf growth stage.
• Excessive surface soil moisture declined 2 percentage points to 41% of the region. No area in the region is rated poor or fair at this time.
• Hay/pasture ratings jumped 10 points on the week to 95% good or excellent.

• Warm temperatures in low to mid 20’s with light showers.
• 71% of region has been seeded as seeding progress continues to be affected by slow soil drydown. Seeding intentions are being affected by the lateness of the season.
• Only 33% of crops have emerged with cereals averaging emerging to 2 leaf stage.
• Surface soil moisture ratings saw excessive moisture ratings decline 2 percentage points to 11% of the region. The percentage rated poor/fair rose 1 percentage point to 13% due to the ongoing dryness in the extreme northern portion of the region which has received less than 1.5 inches of precipitation since May 1^st.
• Hay/pasture ratings improved to 86% good/excellent (up 1 percentage point).