NORTH BATTLEFORD - Producers in this region took advantage of great weather over the past week and have got 94 per cent of the crop in the bin, this is well ahead of the five-year average of 60 per cent. This region has experienced some difficult harvest conditions in the past few years with too much rain or even snow causing multiple issues. It is encouraging to see that producers have been able to wrap up harvest without too many major weather-related issues. Conditions are extremely dry and producers would like to receive rain soon and have it keep raining for a multiple days.
It was another very dry week across the region with only trace amounts of precipitation being reported. While the region saw more rainfall this year, it did not take long before the moisture dried up; cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 15 per cent adequate, 62 per cent short and 23 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as 13 per cent adequate, 59 per cent short and 19 per cent very short.
Even though much of the region experienced multiple weeks between rains, crop yield estimates are much higher than expected by many producers. Hard red spring wheat is yielding 53 bu/ac, oats 100 bu/ac, barley 74 bu/ac, flax 30 bu/ac and canola 40 bu/ac. Hard red spring wheat is also rated as 79 per cent 1CW, 20 per cent 2CW and one per cent 3CW.
The majority of crop damage this week was due to wind, wildlife and waterfowl. Wind has been blowing swaths around but has also helped to dry some of the crop in the field.
Farmers are busy combining, drying grain and moving bales.
