Crop Conditions as of October 9, 2018 (Abbreviated Report)

REGIONAL ASSESSMENTS:
The 2018 Alberta Crop Report Series continues to provide summaries for the following five regions:

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

• Cool, wet conditions have slowed down harvest progress in most parts of the Region, while in others, rain, snow and frost have halted harvesting completely. For potatoes and sugar beets, harvest was progressing very slowly, until the snow over the long weekend.
• Regionally, 71 per cent of major crops are harvested (up one per cent from a week ago), with 12 per cent swathed and 17 per cent still standing.
• About 21 per cent of spring wheat, 11 per cent of barley, 20 per cent of oats and five per cent of dry peas are still standing. For canola, 53 per cent is harvested, 23 per cent in swath and 24 per cent still standing.
• Fall seeded crops are rated as three per cent poor, 33 per cent fair, 56 per cent good and eight per cent excellent.
• Surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface soil ratings in the brackets) are rated as 13 (27) per cent poor, 43 (52) per cent fair, 43 (21) per cent good and one (zero) per cent excellent.

• Producers who had access to grain dryers were able to combine a limited number of acres, before the snow on the long weekend.
• Nearly 44 per cent of major crops in this Region are now in the bin (up two per cent from a week ago), 24 per cent in swath and 32 per cent still standing.
• About 36 per cent of spring wheat, 35 per cent of barley, 50 per cent of oats and two per cent of dry peas are still standing. For canola, 29 per cent has been harvested, 40 per cent swathed and 31 per cent still standing.
• Fall seeded crops are rated as three per cent poor, 34 per cent fair, 58 per cent good and five per cent excellent.
• Surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface soil ratings in the brackets) are rated as zero (10) per cent poor, 9 (23) per cent fair, 53 (47) per cent good and 28 (18) per cent excellent, with 10 (2) per cent excessive.

• Compared to other regions, harvest progress was quite significant in this Region over the past week. More swathing also took place, before combining came to a halt due to the recent snow over the long weekend.
• About 44 per cent of major crops have been harvested (up 22 per cent from last week), with 32 per cent in swath and 24 per cent still standing.
• There are nearly 29 per cent of spring wheat, 42 per cent of barley, 41 per cent of oats and three per cent of dry peas still standing. For canola, about 24 per cent is combined, with 59 per cent in swath and 17 per cent still standing.
• Fall seeded crops are rated as 10 per cent poor, 50 per cent fair and 40 per cent good.
• Surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface soil ratings in the brackets) are rated as zero (12) fair, 46 (36) per cent good and 51 (50) per cent excellent, with 3 (2) per cent excessive.

• Some harvest progress, mainly for cereals was reported for the Region. However, snow on the weekend has halted harvesting operations once more. Most of combined cereals are being dried. Crop quality for standing crops have also deteriorated.
• Overall, 28 per cent of major crops are still standing, 42 per cent in swath and 30 per cent harvested (up 15 per cent from a week ago).
• About 44 per cent of spring wheat, 47 per cent of barley, 38 per cent of oats and three per cent of dry peas are still standing. While six per cent of canola has been harvested, 84 per cent is in swath and 11 per cent still standing.
• Surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface soil ratings in the brackets) are rated as zero (15) per cent poor, 15 (46) per cent fair, 57 (11) per cent good and 28 (28) per cent excellent.

• Cool temperatures and snow over the weekend have slowed down harvesting operations. Even so, producers were still able to make some progress. Regionally, 30 per cent of major crops have been combined (up seven per cent from last week), 30 per cent are in swath and 40 per cent still standing.
• About 58 per cent of spring wheat, 62 per cent of barley, 66 per cent of oats and 41 per cent of dry peas are still standing. While 16 per cent of canola is harvested, 59 per cent is in swath and 26 per cent still standing.
• Surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface soil ratings in the brackets) are rated as zero (two) per cent poor, zero (eight) per cent fair, 56 (60) per cent good and 34 (24) per cent excellent, with 10 (6) per cent excessive.