| | This information has been made available by Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.
The June 3, 2010 Crop Report is also available as a PDF file on the AFSC website.
Prepared by:
James Wright
Project Manager
Actuarial & Program Readiness
AFSC, Lacombe
Telephone: (403)782-8336
Provincial
Despite significant occurrences of precipitation across the entire province, producers were able to make good seeding progress at 89% completed, up from 66% on May 20th. Seeding is better than 92% done in all regions with the exception of Southern Alberta at 79%. A small amount of unseeded acres are anticipated in the south and north east regions due to excessive moisture. The entire province would benefit from warmer weather to enhance crop development and hay/pasture growth.
Alberta Crop Seeding Progress (June 3, 2010)
Flea beetles are a problem this year with 18% of the province rating the infestation as moderate and a further 8% rating insect populations over economic damage thresholds. The spraying for weeds is 17% completed, heavily influenced by the 56% completion rating in the Peace block.
Soil moisture ratings saw significant improvement due to the province wide rainfalls. Surface moisture improved to 82% good/excellent from 59% on May 20th while subsoil moisture ratings rose to 60% good/excellent from 39%.
Pasture ratings improved to 66% good/excellent from 50% in the last report. Tame hay improved to 69% good/excellent from 53%.
Southern Alberta
The region received a further 60-100 mm of precipitation with the greatest accumulations in the SW portion (Lethbridge/Cardston/Pincher Creek). In spite of the precipitation, producers were able to make seeding progress to 79% completed. It is expected that 3% of the region will remain unseeded due to the wet conditions. Wheat seeding is reported at 87% completed. Due to the lateness of the season, it is anticipated that the acres remaining to be seeded will be switched to earlier maturing crops such as barley. This switch represents approximately 150,000 acres of spring wheat and 85,000 acres of durum.
86% of the region is reporting surface moisture as good/excellent with 14% excessive. Subsoil moisture is rated 91% good/excellent with 9% as excessive. Pastures improved to 94% good/
excellent from 80% on May 20th and tame hay improved to 92% good/excellent from 84%.
Central Alberta
50-70 mm of precipitation fell across the region. Seeding is 92% completed with the east portion having the most difficulty at 75% seeded. Soil moisture conditions are exceptional with surface moisture rated 97% good/excellent, 2 % excessive and subsoil moisture ratings at 92% good/ excellent.
Hay and pasture ratings have improved significantly. 95% of pastures are rated good/excellent, up from 76% on May 20th. Tame hay is 93% good/excellent, an increase from 76% on last report.
North East Alberta
The region received 40-60 mm of rainfall. Seeding is 92% completed. It is anticipated that 5-10% of the acres in counties along the Saskatchewan border and north of the Yellowhead (Highway 16) will remain unseeded. This represents 2% of the acres for the region. Grasshopper and flea beetle populations are building and could become a problem.
Surface soil moisture is rated 85% good/excellent with 2% excessive. Subsoil moisture is rated 81% good/excellent with some drier areas reported in the Edmonton vicinity. Pasture and tame hay conditions have improved significantly over the past 2 weeks. Pastures rated poor have declined to 4% from 34%, while good/excellent ratings have increased to 43% from 30%. Tame hay has seen ratings of poor decline to 1% from 20% and good/excellent ratings improve to 53% from 36%.
North West Alberta
Much needed precipitation was received across the region with amounts of 50-80 mm. Seeding is virtually completed at 97% with principally barley and oats for feed purposes remaining. Soil moisture ratings have improved with surface moisture rated 63% good/excellent. Subsoil moisture ratings improved, though 62% of the region continues to be rated poor, down from 74% on May 20th.
Pastures and tame hay ratings improved to 48% good/excellent from 25% on May 20th.
Peace River Region
Seeding is virtually completed. The region received 30-60 mm of much needed precipitation though more will be required. Some reseeding of canola is occurring due to frost and flea beetle damage. Flea beetles are causing significant damage as insect populations are rated moderate in 45% of the region with a further 27% at over economic damage thresholds. Surface moisture is rated 78% good/ excellent with 2% excessive. Subsoil moisture improved as 28% of the region is rated poor, down from 41% on last report.
42% of pastures are rated good/excellent, up from 30% while tame hay is rated good/excellent in 52% of the region, an increase from 37% on the previous report.
Prepared by Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, in cooperation with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. For more information, please contact the writer, James Wright. |
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