Moisture is just as much of a concern as harvest wraps up across the Prairies as it was at the beginning of the growing season. As of Sept. 30, 72 percent of Canada was reported as having some level of drought conditions, 69 percent of which is agricultural land, according to Agriculture Canada’s recently released […] Read more
Stories by Becky Zimmer
Corn harvest stalls in Manitoba; potatoes strong in Alberta
Alberta farmers have wrapped up 94 percent of their major crop harvest. Producers in the south are still waiting on sugar beets and some specialty acres, while others had to pause due to rainy conditions and tough canola. It was a good year for potato farmers in the province. Terence Hochstein, executive director of Potato […] Read more
Producers asked for input on weather impact
Farmers urged to contribute to Ag Canada’s Agroclimate Impact Reporter survey to provide a more detailed picture
As harvest comes to a close, Agriculture Canada is encouraging farmers to contribute to their Agroclimate Impact Reporter survey. The survey is available on the federal government’s website, where farmers can join a mailing list. The information is expected to be mapped and published on the government’s Drought Watch website. When monitoring weather systems, precipitation […] Read more
Much-needed rain falls as harvest nears the end
Most crops have gone into the bin across the Prairies, although work continues on late-stage crops such as corn and flax
Ron Krahn, a Manitoba canola farmer, beat the rain last week as he finished up his last few acres and called harvest 2023 officially over. He described the season as better than expected with yields tied for best ever on his farm near Rivers, Man. “We had some substantial hail this year on about half […] Read more
Harvest mostly done; some wait on maturity
Wide variety of yields and crop quality seen across the Prairies this season, reflecting differences in weather conditions
Variation in yield and quality of crops across the Prairies is the hallmark of this harvest season. Farmers in southern and eastern Alberta seeded in the dust, said Jesse Cole, manager of insurance products and product innovation with Agriculture Financial Services Corporation. Yield loss started in the spring for some. “Even areas that got some […] Read more
Prairie harvest stays ahead of five-year average
Dry conditions across the region continue to leave many producers without adequate soil moisture as harvest wraps up
Harvest continues across the Prairies with completion rates continuing to surpass provincial and regional five-year averages. Producers in Alberta are 65 percent complete, a 21 percent increase compared to last week, according to the Alberta crop report released on Sept. 22. Producers in the south are nearly 91 percent finished on all crops, an increase […] Read more
Alta. fertility study focuses on heifers
Researchers look for the most effective and inexpensive ways cattle producers can select heifers for natural insemination
Breeding cattle for the commercial market can be a real crap shoot. A lot of research has gone into the fertility of bulls, given their genetic importance. However, researchers at Lakeland College are trying to offer farmers deeper insight into their breeding programs by looking at the predictive analysis of heifers. Through the Precision Ranching […] Read more
Ranchers wary of scant feed supply
Prairie cattle producers are nervous heading into winter as grain harvest continues. Kyle Hebert, District 1 director for the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association and owner of Hebert Livestock Ventures, does custom silage work in the southeast corner of the province. He’s seen tonnage between three and nine tonnes per acre for barley silage this year. “We […] Read more
Harvest conditions favourable in most regions
Precipitation has impacted some regions and crops including malt barley that has experienced some chitting
Some Prairie grain producers had to deal with rain last week, but managed to make hay when the sun did shine. Areas in southeastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba received the most moisture, with more than 40 millimetres in the Corning, Sask., area and more than 21-24 mm in Glenboro and Arborg areas of Manitoba. Mitchell […] Read more
Harvest season reaches full swing on Prairies
Manitoba growers are behind the five-year average, but producers in Alberta and Saskatchewan are ahead of schedule
Recent crop reports show good numbers for the Prairies as harvest reaches full swing. Some Manitoba producers saw rain last week with regional precipitation hitting 18 to 33 millimetres. Progress has been slow for northwest and central areas with heavy rainfall and humidity causing concerns. Andrew Hector, agronomy extension specialist for cereal crops with the […] Read more
