Manitoba
SOUTHWEST
Temperatures were near seasonal. About 25 percent of the cereal harvest is complete. Many cereal fields were harvested at tough and damp moisture levels. Quality is rated as good.
Spring wheat, barley and oat yields continue to be at or above long-term averages.
Canola swathing is almost complete in most areas. Yields are said to be above average.
Pea harvest is roughly 90 percent complete. Yield and quality are very poor in most cases. The flax crop is looking promising.
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The soybean crop continues to mature.
Silage operations in barley crops are ongoing with average yields. Silage corn is in the dough stage with only leaf burn being noted as a result of the recent frost.
Pastures are holding on. Some cattle are being moved to harvested crop residue for grazing.
NORTHWEST
Scattered showers limited the amount of harvest progress.
About 95 percent of the wheat crop is mature across the region. Wheat harvest varies from less than five percent combined to 95 percent. Wheat yields are reported as average and quality is good.
Roughly 80 percent of the canola crop is swathed. Twenty-five to 30 percent is combined. Canola yields range from 20 bushels per acre to more than 30 bu. per acre. The quality is reported as good.
Pea harvest is complete with average yields and good quality. The majority of soybean and flax remain standing.
Little to no seeding of winter wheat or fall rye has occurred.
Producers are beginning to haul hay to winter feeding areas.
Some haying occurred in dry areas. Second cut alfalfa mixes are being harvested as well.
Areas that received frost are reporting issues with nitrates, but water supply on all pastures is good.
CENTRAL
Harvest progress was made, but heavy dews and wet field conditions caused delays. Weekend rain slowed progress.
Harvest is 50 to 80 percent complete.
Winter wheat harvest is complete with yields averaging 50 to 70 bu. per acre. Quality is below average because of fusarium.
Fall rye yields are 50 to 60 bu. per acre.
Spring wheat harvest continues with yields averaging 45 to 80 bu. per acre and higher. Most barley is harvested and yields are 70 to 100 bu. per acre.
Oat yields are 90 to 140 bu. per acre.
Many cereals are harvested at tough or damp moisture levels. Sprouting, mildew, fusarium damaged kernels, and ergot have occurred.
Canola is swathed or left standing for straight cut. Yields are 40 to 45 bu. per acre.
Most soybean fields are seeing colour change and leaf drop. Early reports say yields are averaging 25 to 40 bu. per acre.
Potatoes are being dug and are good quality.
EASTERN
Harvest continued slowly because of below seasonal temperatures, rainy weather, heavy morning dews and higher cereal grain moisture levels.
Progress was made in spring wheat and canola. Quality losses continue in cereals because of harvest delay and poor weather.
Spring wheat yielded 60 to 80 bu. per acre and canola 30 to 50 bu. per acre. Soybeans are in the R7 to R8 stage.
Corn is in the dent stage. Approximately 50 percent of the acres are at three-quarters milk line.
Sunflowers are in the R7 stage with the back of the head starting to yellow.
Haying progress is slow and pastures are doing well with the recent rains.
INTERLAKE
Seasonal temperatures and light showers occurred across the region. Minimal frost damage occurred, but damage was noted to soybean leaves and cornfields.
Harvest is roughly 45 percent complete. Spring cereals, canola, soybeans, grain corn and sunflowers are still waiting to be harvested.
Crops continue to be harvested at tough moisture levels. Soybean maturity ranges from R6.5 to R8 throughout the region.
Field tillage is scattered throughout the area. Many fields are too wet to enter.
Some second cut haying and ensiling occurred. Pasture conditions are holding up well.
SASKATCHEWAN
The provincial harvest was about 45 percent completed last week, and about 35 percent was swathed or ready to be straight-cut. The five year (2009-13) average for this time of year is 58 percent combined and 25 percent swathed or ready to be straight-cut.
SOUTH
Warm weather has helped harvest progress across the south.
Forty to 55 percent of the crop is harvested, while 24 to 32 percent is swathed or ready to be straight-cut. Heavy morning and evening dews delayed progress in some areas.
Rainfall ranged from small amounts to 17 mm. Since April 1, Moosomin has received 895 millimetres of rain, which is the greatest amount in the region and province.
Topsoil conditions on cropland are rated as 70 percent adequate, while hayland and pasture moisture is 97 percent adequate.
Quality concerns have been raised in pulse and cereal crops because of moisture and disease. High fusarium levels are common in cereals.
There are many reports of frost damage in canola and wheat. Strong winds have shelled out standing crops. Waterfowl damage has also been reported.
Roughly 60 percent of pasture conditions are rated as good. Almost 100 percent of livestock producers indicated adequate water supplies for livestock.
CENTRAL
Roughly 46 percent of the crop is now in the bin. Harvest is well underway in the region, but several more weeks of dry weather are needed. Heavy dew and slow drying are delaying producers.
Trace amounts of rain were experienced in most of the region, but the Smiley area received 18 mm. The Foam Lake area has received 730 mm since April 1.
Topsoil moisture conditions are rated between roughly 78 percent and 85 percent adequate. Hay and pasture land topsoil is around 80 percent adequate.
Many areas are reporting high levels of sprouting, bleaching, fusarium, and frost damage. There are reports of canola heating in bins and tough grain is being aerated.
Almost 70 percent of pasture conditions are rated as good. Roughly 100 percent of livestock producers have indicated they have adequate water supplies.
NORTH
Warm and dry weather allowed almost 50 percent of the crop to be harvested. The rest is swathed or ready to straight-cut.
Many crops are coming off tough and needing aeration despite the good weather conditions.
The Neilburg area received the greatest amount of rain — four mm — while the North Battleford area has received 519 mm since April 1.
Topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated around 90 percent adequate. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated around 85 percent adequate.
Yields have been average overall, but quality concern is prominent. Higher than normal levels of fusarium have been reported in some wheat crops. Green seed in some canola crops has also been reported. Waterfowl damage was reported.
Pasture conditions are reported at around 70 percent good. Almost 100 percent of livestock producers have indicated adequate water supplies.
ALBERTA
About 50 percent of the provincial crop had been harvested and about 25 percent is in swath with about 50 percent harvested, up from 25 percent combined and 35 percent swathed the previous week. Harvest progress is in line with the five year average of 50 percent combined and 25 percent swathed but well behind the progress of the past two years of 71 percent combined last year and 62 percent in 2012.
SOUTH
Harvest progressed this week with about 20 percent swathed and about 60 percent combined.
It is still behind the five-year average of 69 percent. In 2013, the progress was 83 percent combined.
Yield projections are for average to slightly above average crops.
Around 95 percent of spring wheat is grading No. 3 CW or better. Roughly 86 percent of barley is grading No. 1 CW or better.
CENTRAL
Harvest progressed to about 30 percent swathed and about 40 percent combined.
Harvest progress is behind the five-year average of 46 percent combined. The 2013 progress was 68 percent combined.
Yield projections are average to slightly above average for most crops. Field pea yields are up 15 percent.
Below average quality is a concern. Around 80 percent of spring wheat is grading No. 3 CW or better. Sixty-eight percent of barley is grading No. 1 CW or better. Only 50 percent of the canola is grading No. 1.
NORTHEAST
Harvest progress jumped to about 30 percent swathed and 50 percent combined.
Progress is ahead of the five-year average of 43 percent combined but behind the 2013 progress of 68 percent combined.
Yield projections are 10 to 15 percent above the five-year averages.
Spring wheat grading is 95 percent 3 CW or better. Ninety percent of barley is grading 1 CW or better. Less than 60 percent of the field pea crop is grading a food quality of No. 2 or better.
NORTHWEST
Harvest progress advanced to about 20 percent swathed and about 70 percent combined.
The harvest is similar to the five-year average of 35 percent combined but behind the 2013 progress of 53 percent combined.
Yield projections are roughly 10 percent above five-year averages.
Ninety-five percent of spring wheat is grading No. 3 CW or better. Barley has 83 percent grading No. 1 CW or better. Eighty-eight percent of field peas are grading food quality of No. 2 or better.
PEACE
Harvest progressed to about 20 percent swathed and about 70 combined.
Progress is well ahead of the five-year average of 49 percent combined and similar to the 70 percent combined last year.
Despite the dry conditions, yield projections are much better than expected.
Spring wheat and field pea yields are expected to be average. Barley, oat, and canola yields are projected to be 15 to 20 percent above their five-year averages.
Ninety-five percent of spring wheat is grading No. 3 CW or better while 95 percent of barely is grading No. 1 CW or better. More than 90 percent of the canola is grading No. 1 Canada.
