Local harvest well ahead of five-year average

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Provincially, officials say the weather remained warm and dry, and harvest advanced substantially (by 25 per cent from a week ago). Overall, about 59 per cent of major crops have now been combined, ahead of the 5-year and 10-year averages of 36 per cent. About 17 per cent of major crops are in swath and 24 per cent remain standing.

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Over the past week among regions, producers in the Peace Region are said to have made the most significant progress (harvesting an additional 39 per cent), followed by producers in the North East Region (advancing progress by 31 per cent) and Central Region (harvesting a further 23 per cent). Harvest in the South and North West Regions advanced by 17 per cent. Compared to the 5-year averages (2017-2021), harvest progress is ahead for all regions. Harvest progress in the South is said to be similar to last year, while in the Peace, it is ahead.

Compared to the long-term normal, growing season precipitation accumulation has been near normal for most parts of the province, except for the North West Region, northern and western parts of the North East Region and the southern half of the Peace Region, where precipitation has been moderately low. However, over the past 60 days, conditions turned dry in much of the province. For most parts of the province, the past 60-days precipitation accumulation relative to normal has been either low, very low, or in some spots, extremely low. The only exception was for the South Region, where it was near normal.

Dry conditions from mid-July have led to the depletion of soil moisture reserves, but June rainfall contributed to the 2022 growing season. Also, there is still ample time between now and the 2023 growing season to build soil moisture reserves and surface water supplies to an acceptable level. A relatively wet and warm fall would help alleviate moisture stress for pastures and hay land, officials further point out.

Currently, pasture and hay growth is generally slow, and in the case of pasture, it is being grazed with no recovery. In some areas, livestock are moving onto harvested fields. Provincial pasture growing conditions are now rated as 29 per cent poor, 51 per cent fair, and 20 per cent good, with similar ratings for tame hay.