Alberta Crop Report - July 3, 2008

The July 3, 2008 Crop Report is also available as a PDF file on the AFSC website.

Prepared by:
James Wright
Project Manager
Research and Program Development
Lacombe, AB
Telephone: 403-782-8336

Provincial
Warmer weather enveloped the province with normal to slightly above normal temperatures in most areas. Precipitation was light in the form of pop up showers. The warm weather did enhance crop development but crops remain 7 – 10 days behind normal due to the cool spring. Spring cereals are entering the flag leaf stage, winter cereals are in the late heading to early pollination stages while approximately 44% of the canola and 25% of the field peas are flowering. The incidence of hail has been light to date.

Haying is general in all areas with 20% of the 1st cut dryland crop and 33% of the 1st cut irrigated crop harvested. Yields are generally average to slightly below average due to the slow start to growth but quality is very good due to the drier conditions experienced.

Subsoil moisture is becoming a concern in areas north and east of Edmonton and in western portions of the Peace River block. As a result, the good/excellent rating for subsoil moisture has slipped to 52% for the province from 67% on June 19th. Current ratings are 15% poor/ 32% fair/ 40% good/ 12% excellent/ 1% excessive.

Crop Condition ratings have declined from the last crop report though no crop has a rating of poor above 7% on a provincial basis.



Southern Alberta

• Conditions are very good to excellent across most of the region with 72% of the crops rated good & 18% rated excellent (76% good/16% excellent on June 19th).
• Crops have responded well to the warmer weather as soil moisture is very good with 86% of the region rating subsoil moisture as good/excellent, unchanged from June 19th.
• Spring cereals are in early boot stage, winter cereals are pollinating, 63% of the canola is flowering with 2% podding, 49% of the field peas are flowering with 5% podding.
• Dryland haying is 20% completed & irrigated haying is 40% completed.

• Conditions are good to very good in most areas with 58% of the crops rated good & 22% rated excellent (75% good/16% excellent on June 19th).
• 70% of the region is rating subsoil moisture as good/excellent, down from 80% on June 19th.
• Spring cereals are in the early to mid stem elongation stage, winter cereals are in late heading, 28% of the canola and 15% of the field peas are flowering (no podding).
• Dryland haying is 14% completed.

• Conditions are generally good with 60% of the crops rated good & 8% rated excellent (66% good/8% excellent on June 19th ).
• Soil moisture conditions are becoming concerning with only 25% of the region rating subsoil moisture as good/excellent, down from 53% on June 19th.
• Spring cereals are in early boot stage, winter cereals in early pollination, canola is 49% flowering & field peas are 36% flowering (no podding).
• Dryland haying is 15% completed.

• Conditions are generally good with 60% of the crops rated good & 12% rated excellent (56% good/14% excellent on June 19th).
• Soil moisture is becoming a concern with only 38% of the region rating subsoil moisture as good/excellent, down from 54% on June 19th).
• Spring cereals are in boot stage, winter cereals in mid to late heading stage, canola is 22% flowering & field peas are 19% flowering (no podding).
• Dryland haying is 14% completed.

• Conditions are generally fair with only 33% of the crops rated good & 5% rated excellent (57% good/16% excellent on June 19th).
• Soil moisture is becoming a concern particularly in the southern and western areas with only 35% of the region rating subsoil good/excellent, down from 63% on June 19th).
• Spring cereals are in late boot stage, winter cereals are completing head emergence, canola is 60% flowering & field peas are quite delayed at 5% flowering (no podding).
• Dryland haying is 36% completed.