ALBERTA
SOUTH
High water advisories
Seeding is 95 percent done in the Brooks region. Cereals and oilseeds are 65 percent seeded in Taber, but sugar beets, corn, potatoes and dry beans are mostly planted. Seeding is 80 to 85 percent done in the High River area.
Seeding across the south halted last week because of heavy rainfall.
High water advisories were issued in a number of southwestern regions last week.
Almost all wheat and pulse crops are in, with some barley and canola remaining to be seeded.
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Winter wheat crops are looking good, though total acreage is down because of wet conditions last fall.
Pasture and tame hay crops are mostly in good condition, although growth has been slow because of cooler temperatures.
CENTRAL
Crops emerging
Seeding is 90 percent complete north of Calgary to Red Deer, and 75 to 95 percent done around Oyen and Provost.
Some early-seeded crops are beginning to emerge but strong winds have hampered early spraying operations in the Rimbey, Airdrie, Oyen and Coronation regions.
Soil moisture is rated as 10 percent fair, 48 percent good, 41 percent excellent and one percent excessive.
Tame hay and pasture growth is slower than usual because of cooler spring temperatures.
NORTHEAST &NORTHWEST
Winds drying fields
Little precipitation has been seen in the northeast lately. Conditions helped seeding progress, which is 90 percent complete in the Camrose region, with some barley and canola remaining. Barrhead and Mayerthorpe are 95 percent done, with St. Paul slightly behind that at 70 percent.
Soil moisture is rated as 41 percent fair and 47 percent good in the northeast.
Some early-seeded crops are emerging. Germination is slow and uneven in some areas because of lack of moisture and lower temperatures.
The northwest has also been dry, and strong winds have robbed moisture.
Soil moisture conditions are rated 45 percent fair and 41 percent good as of last week.
About 69 percent of the pasture and tame hay is rated as good, 16 percent fair and 15 percent excellent
PEACE REGION
Flea beetles sighted
Dry conditions sped farming progress in recent weeks. Seeding is complete in the Fairview region, with Peace River and Falher at 80 percent and Eaglesham at 80 to 90 percent. High Level is 90 percent done, with some grasshopper activity reported.
The central Peace needs rain to help crops that are beginning to emerge.
Flea beetles have been spotted and field scouting is recommended.
Pasture and tame hay growth has been slow, with 11 percent rated poor, 31 percent fair, 55 percent good and three percent excellent.
SASKATCHEWAN
SOUTH
Wet fields hinder work
Seeding progress is highly variable, averaging 24 percent in the east and 55 percent in the west last week.
However, some farmers hadn’t started and others were almost done.
The five-year average is 79 percent.
Many expect that significant acreage will not be seeded, particularly in eastern areas, because of wet conditions. Some areas have reported 206 millimetres since April 1.
Consul, in the southwest, received 112 mm over two days of the long weekend.
Topsoil moisture on cropland is rated 71 percent surplus in the east and 45 percent in the west, with similar numbers for hay and pasture land.
Access to fields is a major problem, and farmers are opting for alternate seeding methods such as broadcasting and harrowing.
Early seeded canola and wheat is emerging. There are reports of wireworm and cutworm damage.
CENTRAL
Dry week aids seeding
A relatively dry week led to significant seeding progress throughout central regions.
The east side was 43 percent complete by the long weekend, while the west was 74 percent done. The five-year average is about 70 percent.
Still, some had yet to start and others were done.
Significant acreage will not be seeded again this year.
Crop districts 5A and 5B remain the wettest. Fields are soft and can’t support seeding equipment. Field access is also a concern because many roads are washed out or flooded.
Farmers are looking at broadcasting and harrowing to get crops in before it’s too late.
Cropland topsoil moisture is rated 32 percent surplus in the east but only 11 percent surplus in the west. Some farmers and ranchers in western areas are reporting that moisture is actually short.
Heavy weed growth is a problem because normal pre-seeding operations couldn’t be conducted. Earlier seeded peas, lentils, canola and wheat are emerging in good condition.
NORTH
Light frost reported
Little precipitation allowed producers to make good seeding progress.
In the east, 62 percent of the crop is in the ground while 79 percent has been seeded in the west. The five-year average is 67 percent. Some farmers report they will be done this week.
Crops that are emerging are in good condition.
Frost of -5 C was reported, but it was too soon to tell what impact that would have on emerged crops.
Flea beetle damage was reported in a few areas.
Moisture supplies are rated more adequate than surplus in the north and some in western regions are reporting that 30 percent of land is short or very short of moisture.
Pastures have been slow to green up and many livestock producers are still feeding cattle.
MANITOBA
Farmers across Manitoba scrambled late last week to get fields seeded ahead of heavy rain, which was in the forecast.
Rain causes delays
Farmers have seeded from nothing to above 30 percent of their fields in the southwest, and overall about 15 percent is complete.
Heavy rain delayed seeding around Melita, Waskada, Deloraine, Souris, Virden and Brandon, as did lighter rain around Hamiota, Shoal Lake and Minnedosa.
Some crop is being planted with floaters and harrow bars.
Weeds are being sprayed where farmers can get on the fields.
Flood waters continue to bedevil farmers along watercourses and in low-lying areas, but most pastures are greening up.
Mixed bag for farmers
Farmers in the northwest have a range of situations. Some around Roblin are mostly done seeding wheat and about half done seeding canola. Most of the area is sodden and less than 10 percent of all crops have been seeded.
Early week warm weather allowed many field activities like spraying to be done.
Diamondback moths are appearing and farmers are watching traps closely.
Weeds are flourishing in the wet conditions.
Low areas are flooded still. Pastures are greening.
CENTRAL
Weed spraying starts
About two-thirds of the crops are sown, with wheat furthest advanced and nearing completion, while soybeans are furthest behind.
Most of the potato crop has gone into the ground.
Some canola has been broadcast and harrowed.
Weeds have appeared and many farmers have sprayed.
Pastures are green and healthy, but have been delayed by the coolness of the spring.
EASTERN
Corn doing well
Corn planting is furthest advanced with about two-thirds of the acres in. Most other crops have struggled to approach 50 percent.
Saturated soils have hurt many crops, but early emerging wheat and canola often looks good.
The winter wheat crop looks good except in areas where it has been flooded.
Winter wheat fertilization is almost complete and some weed spraying is occurring. Pastures are good but behind in growth.
INTERLAKE
Drier pastures sought
Farmers on higher land and far from clogged drainage channels are further advanced than farmers in the wet soils. Good winds and warmth allowed much seeding progress.
Weed growth is rapid and much spraying is occurring.
Hay and pasture are looking good with many cattle now on pasture.
Lake Manitoba flooding has caused many herds to be moved to drier locations.
