Alberta Crop Report - August 13, 2024

Harvest has officially begun with some areas more than half way done winter and fall cereals. Many pulses are nearing ready or desiccating and other crops are only a few weeks out from maturity. Provincially, all crop harvest is 3 per cent complete, on schedule with the historical average. Most of this progress is seen in the South Region which has 5 per cent of major crops harvested and 7 per cent of all crops harvested, on track with the 5- and 10-year averages (Table 1). While most other regions have started harvesting winter wheat, fall rye, and possibly pulses, the greatest progress among them can be seen in the Central Region with only 3 per cent of all crops, and 2 per cent in the Peace Region. Both the North West and North East Regions have less than one per cent of crops combined. Spring cereals are currently in soft dough stage, slightly ahead of their 5-year average of early dough. Major broadleaves are 98 per cent podding, ahead of the 5-year average of 90 per cent, due to warm weather pushing crops out of flowering.

Crop conditions are currently rated 44 per cent good to excellent, decreasing for the fourth consecutive week, and 2 per cent from last week. Currently, the highest regional rating is in the South, where major crops are rated 60 per cent good to excellent, followed by the Peace (54 per cent good to excellent), the North East (51 per cent good to excellent), the North West (29 per cent good to excellent), and lastly the Central Region (rated 21 per cent good to excellent).  

Precipitation this past week ranged from 3 mm to 15 mm around the South, Central, North West, and Peace regions, while some pockets got less than 1 mm. Most of the North East Region received less than 5 mm. While temperatures did cool down and light showers brought relief to crops that were maturing faster than normal, both surface and sub-surface soil moisture conditions continued to decline. Regional surface soil moisture rated good to excellent is reported as (change since last week) 34 (-1) per cent good to excellent in the South, 27 (-11) per cent good to excellent in the Central, 35 (-6) per cent good to excellent in the North East, 23 (-20) per cent good to excellent in the North West, and 48 (-11) per cent in the Peace Regions (Table 2). Provincially, surface soil moisture (5-year average) is rated as 29 (22) per cent poor, 39 (25) per cent fair, 31 (35) per cent good, 2 (14) per cent excellent, and 0 (4) per cent excessive. Sub-surface soil moisture (5-year average) is rated as 32 (20) per cent poor, 43 (27) per cent fair, 24 (35) per cent good, 1 (15) per cent excellent, and 0 (2) per cent excessive. 

Dryland yield estimates have declined slightly since last reported two weeks ago, apart from in the Peace Region. Within the province, the Peace and South Regions are expecting above average yields, while the North West Region is on par with the 5-year average (Table 3). Regarding the South Region’s expectation of yields 26.7 per cent above the 5-year average yield, it is important to remember that it is specific to that region’s historical yields, especially when compared to the rest of the province. The Central and North East Regions are expecting yields to be 7 and 8 per cent below their respective averages.  

Pasture and tame hay conditions continued to decline this week across the province, apart from tame hay in the North East Region, which was stable. First cut dryland hay is 99 per cent complete and averaged 1.5 tons per acre, above the historical average of 1.4 tons per acre. The highest yields were seen in the North West and North East Regions, at 1.6 tons per acre, and the lowest was in the Peace Region, at 1.3 tons per acre. Within the province, 47 per cent of producers say they will get a second cut of hay but only 16 per cent is currently cut. So far, second cut has averaged 0.9 tons per acre, below the 5- and 10-year average of 1.1 tons per acre. Irrigated first cut in the South Region, averaged 2.6 tons per acre and second cut is half done, averaging 2.1 tons per acre, above the 5- and 10-year average of 1.7 and 1.9 tons respectively. Regionally, tame hay (5-year average) is rated as 34 (34) per cent good to excellent in the South, 11 (58) per cent good to excellent in the Central, 24 (54) per cent good to excellent in the North East, 28 (68) per cent good to excellent in the North West, and 58 (49) per cent good to excellent in the Peace Regions (Table 4). Regionally, pasture (5-year average) is rated as 36 (32) per cent good to excellent in the South, 22 (52) per cent good to excellent in the Central, 34 (58) per cent good to excellent in the North East, 24 (65) per cent good to excellent in the North West, and 59 (50) per cent good to excellent in the Peace Regions.