Good progress was made with haying this past week. Livestock producers have 50 per cent of the hay crop baled or put into silage and another 20 per cent cut and ready for baling, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year average (2011-2015) is 55 per cent baled or put into silage.
Hay quality is rated as five per cent excellent, 70 per cent good, 24 per cent fair and one per cent poor. Hay is slow to dry in the swath due to rain and high humidity.
Crops are generally in good condition. Sixty-two per cent of the spring wheat, winter wheat, flax and canola are in good condition. Wet conditions across much of the lentil-producing area has affected quality. Lentils are rated as 15 per cent excellent, 47 per cent good, 26 per cent fair, 10 per cent poor and two per cent very poor. Peas are rated as 30 per cent excellent, 52 per cent good, 16 per cent fair and two per cent poor.
Most areas of the province received rain during the past week, with the heaviest showers dropping between 50 and 100 mm of precipitation. There were reports of 200 mm of rain in the Elfros region. Heavy rain over the past several weeks has caused crops to lodge, and they remain under flooding stress in some areas. Lentils and peas in many areas of the province are suffering from too much moisture. Diseases and hail have also caused crop damage.
Provincially, cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 15 per cent surplus, 80 per cent adequate and five per cent short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as nine per cent surplus, 83 per cent adequate and eight per cent short.
Harvesting of winter wheat, peas and lentils in some areas is expected to start in the coming week. Farmers are busy haying and getting ready for harvest. https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/agriculture-natural-resources-and-industry/agribusiness-farmers-and-ranchers/agricultural-programs-and-services/statistics-for-farmers-and-agribusiness/crops-statistics/crop-report