Summary of crop conditions, week of Aug. 13 to Aug 19.
Alberta
Peace
Heavy rains are causing great difficulties. Haying has been virtually halted by wet conditions. Canola is ready to swath in most areas. Bertha army worms have appeared in considerable numbers. Canola is also afflicted by root rot and root maggot. Barley will be mature soon, but much leaf disease will make the harvest poorer than expected. Peace-area producers are worried about an early frost.
North/Central
Northwestern crops are drenched by rains and held back by cold weather. Some swathing has begun. Most of the first cut of hay has been completed. Cereals look good but there are many leaf diseases. Canola is affected by sclerotinia. Northeastern crops are in much better condition. Crops look good and are on time. Yields should be average to above average. Polish canola is being swathed. Bertha army worms have appeared in some areas. Blackleg and sclerotinia are also canola woes. Barley is ready to swath, but excellent stands may yield less than expected because of leaf diseases. Some wheat hurt by root rot. First cut of hay is almost wrapped up. West-central crops are suffering from dryness and heat stress, and there are moderate disease problems. The first cut of hay is finishing.East-central crops look good but are too dry. Swathing is general now.
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South
Harvesting is general. Haying is going well and crops have good quality. Bertha army worms have been found in canola. Yields look good. Frost risk is minimal.
Saskatchewan
North
Good looking northwestern crops advanced rapidly last week because of heat. Most Polish canola has been swathed. Some peas have been harvested. This week much wheat will be swathed. Most barley has yet to be touched. Some Bertha army worms have been reported. Producers are dessicating crops. Yields should be above average. If there is no frost before Sept. 1, most crops will be in the clear. Swathing is just beginning in the northeast of Polish canola and barley. Crops vary widely in maturity and are still about one week behind normal. Bertha army worms have appeared in some fields. Lots of canola disease apparent. Because of pests and disease, estimates of an excellent crop have been downgraded to a good, but yields should still be above average.
Central
West-central stands have never looked so good. Yield may not be as high, but seems promising. Heat helped crops advance last week but they are still behind normal. Farmers still need three frost-free weeks to guarantee most crops. Some swathing under way of Polish canola, peas, early barley. There is some combining of mustard, canola and peas, and lots of disease in canola. Aphids are reported in flax, canaryseed and canola. Bertha army worms reported in a wide area. Variable crop development evident in the east-central region. There is a good crop outlook in Wynyard, Kelvington and Watrous areas, but not so good in the Yorkton region. Warm, dry weather speeded development last week, but heavy rains near Yorkton mean more drying weather is required. There is minimal harvesting so far. Some swathing of barley and canola has started near Wynyard, but little combining.
South
Southwestern crops are generally mature. A lot is being swathed and combining is under way. Much canola and mustard will be combined this week. Furthest advanced crops are west, near Maple Creek. Development is further behind in Moose Jaw and eastern areas. Crops look good.
Manitoba
Northwest/Interlake
Northwestern crops quickened by hot weather last week were scourged by heavy Sunday rains of up to 100 mm. The rain was accompanied by high winds, which lodged many crops. Some swathing of early seeded crops is under way in the Ste. Rose, Dauphin and Russell districts. No major insect outbreaks are reported, although there are isolated incidents of aphids in wheat and grasshoppers in pastures.
Interlake crops ripened last week in hot, humid conditions. Some swathing of cereal crops has occurred. Some canola is ready for swathing. Harvesting of timothy seed and other grasses is progressing well. Many wheat fields report fusarium head blight. A good second cut of hay was allowed by good drying conditions last week.
West
Harvesting was just beginning when a thunderstorm dropped up to 50 mm of rain Sunday night. Some swathing of wheat, barley and canola has been done, and some wheat combined. Fall rye is almost all harvested with average yields. Wheat quality looks very good. Fusarium head blight has been reported in all districts, but infestation is variable. Some aphids reported in barley, flax and canola. Killarney canola has Bertha army worms. Second cut of alfalfa has gone well. Crop yields in general should be average.
Red River Valley
Crop development was hastened by the sunny and warm conditions last week. About five percent of cereals have been swathed. Canola is being swathed and yields are expected to be average to slightly above. Fall rye harvest is under way, with yields 40 to 60 bushels per acre. Winter wheat yields are 65 to 70 bushels per acre. Yields of other cereals are expected to be average to below average. Leaf diseases are reported in some cereal fields. Fusarium head blight reported.
