Top Crop Manager

News Agronomy
Crop report: Some harvest activities begin in Saskatchewan, aphids present in Manitoba

August 10, 2022  By Top Crop Manager


Harvest season is fast-approaching in the Prairies, but the three provinces are all in vastly different situations. Detailed reports are below.

Manitoba

Soybean aphids are now becoming a concern, reaching economic thresholds in scattered locations. Spraying is occurring as-needed, but crops require intensive scouting on a field-by-field basis. Like its neighbours to the west in Saskatchewan, Manitoba is now experiencing grasshopper pests in all regions. Most grasshoppers are confined to field edges and headlands but moving more as insects reach adult stages.

Some retailers and crop protection companies continue to watch local insecticide supplies, as supply chain issues persist and increased demand has stretched supplies.

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The Manitoba Hay listing service is active; producers with extra feed or looking for feed are encouraged to list their available supplies for sale. | READ MORE

Saskatchewan

The latest report covers the week ending Aug. 1. Harvest has just begun in the province in the fields in the central and southwest regions where crops are further ahead in development. Some harvest activities in the province were delayed due to rain. In eastern regions, harvest is estimated to be seven to 10 days away. Rainfall varied significantly across the province last week with some areas getting nothing and others experiencing large, localized storms that resulted in flooding and crop damage.

Despite the rainfall, topsoil moisture across the province continues to decline slightly. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as four per cent surplus, 64 per cent adequate, 25 per cent short and seven per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as two per cent surplus, 65 per cent adequate, 20 per cent short and 13 per cent very short. After receiving much more rain than last year, pastures in some areas of the province have recovered from the 2021 drought and pasture condition ratings have improved tremendously. Pasture conditions are rated as 16 per cent excellent, 41 per cent good, 25 per cent fair, twelve per cent poor and six per cent very poor. Many pastures in the west still had cattle pulled off due to a lack in vegetation or dried up water sources.

Minor flooding, drought, disease, wind, grasshoppers and hail have all been responsible for crop damage, with some storms leaving substantial damage. |READ MORE

Alberta

As of the start of July, Alberta is no longer releasing abbreviated reports every second week. The next full report, which covers conditions as of Aug. 9, will be released by Friday, Aug. 12. Detailed updates for the week ending July 26 can be found in last week’s report.

Most recently, Alberta’s reports began including yield expectations. As of last week, major crops are rated as 74 per cent good to excellent, well above the 10-year average of 66 per cent. Yield expectations are 110 per cent of the 10-year provincial yield average. All regions of the province are reporting yield estimates relatively consistent with, or ahead of, long term normal. The main differential is June rainfall. While Alberta has occasionally struggled with dry weather this year, the province saw more rainfall in June 2022 than June 2021. At this time last year only 20 per cent of all crops were rated as good or excellent and yield expectations were only 60 per cent of the 10-year average. |READ MORE

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