Heavy rain and snow over the past several days has stalled harvest. Eighty-one per cent of the 2016 crop is combined and 15 per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year (2011-2015) average for this time of year is 93 per cent combined.
The southeast has 89 per cent of the harvest in the bin. Eighty-five per cent of the crop is combined in the southwest, 79 per cent in the east-central region, 73 per cent in the west-central, 78 per cent in the northwest and 80 per cent in the northeast. The most progress was made in combining flax and soybeans.
Over the past three weeks, harvest progress has been minimal due to wet conditions. Significant rain and snow were recorded throughout the province during this past week. The weather system started for most regions on October 2 and has continued on with rain, snow and overcast conditions up to the release of this report. Many areas reported that at least 25 mm of rain before 10 to 15 cm centimetres of snow started falling. The Glenavon area reported 41 mm of total precipitation, Moose Jaw and Tisdale 103 mm, Lisieux 66 mm, Blumenhof 86 mm, Yorkton 75 mm, Quill Lake 97 mm, Perdue 44 mm, Cando 91 mm, Hafford 62 mm and Pierceland 25 mm.
Provincially, cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 55 per cent surplus and 45 per cent adequate. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 32 per cent surplus and 68 per cent adequate. Field conditions are very wet, which will make harvest slow once producers get back into the field. Even with the sunny weather that is forecast, producers do not expect to be back in the field for several days.
At this time, livestock producers are indicating adequate amounts of hay, straw, greenfeed and feed grain for their winter feeding needs.
Rain and snow has lodged standing crops. Bleaching and sprouting are causing grade loss.