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By Sheldon Spackman

50 per cent expected at Malt Grade

Central Alberta boasting significantly highest barley quality in the province

Sep 23, 2022 | 2:28 PM

According to the latest Crop Report from Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) and Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development, central Alberta has significantly the highest barley quality region of the province with nearly 50 per cent expected at malt grade.

Officials say about 77 per cent of crops are in the bin, 13 per cent are in swath and 10 per cent remain standing in the region.

Pulses are all reported as 100 per cent combined, whereas canola is only 46 per cent combined, flax 50 per cent and potatoes 20 per cent.

Surface soil moisture conditions (sub-surface shown in brackets) are rated as seven (15) per cent poor, 42 (44) per cent fair, 46 (40) per cent good and four (zero) per cent excellent.

Province-wide, this week’s crop report confirms ongoing harvest progress with above average yield and quality expectations.

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As at September 20, 87 per cent of all crops were swathed or combined with an expected 10-year yield index of 107 and with grading expectations of the provincial wheat, barley, canola, and pea crops ahead of 10-year averages. Combining across the province on all crops is now 77 per cent complete and well ahead of the 10-year average of 53 per cent.

Two weeks ago on September 6, combining of all crops was 37 per cent complete, officials point out. As a result, Alberta farmers have been able to harvest 40 per cent of all crops in the past two weeks.

Specifically this past week, the North East and North West made significant harvest progress with both increasing combine completion on major crops by 21 per cent through the week. However, the Peace region received meaningful rainfall which slowed last week’s progress. Overall, for this time in the season, the South and Peace are ahead of harvest compared to this time last year but Central, North East and North West regions are behind.

Across the province, combine completion on all crops is said to be relatively unchanged year-over-year (79 per cent at this time last year). Potatoes are identified as the only crop significantly behind long-term averages for harvest completion.

Dryland yields are expected to index at 112 and 107 on five and 10-year indices respectively. Barley, oats, lentils chickpeas, and flax are outperforming and are all expected above 120 per cent of their five-year normals. Of all 11 crops listed, none have yield expectations below their five-year averages.

Officials say irrigated yield expectations are, as expected, much less variable relative to their long-term normals, with most crops ranging in expectations from 98 to 103 per cent of normal. Chickpeas and flax are the notable irrigated exceptions with irrigated chickpeas expected at only 91 per cent of five-year average and irrigated flax outperforming at 130 per cent of five-year yield expectations.

Notable for chickpeas is that irrigated chickpeas have a 4.2 bu/acre lower yield expectation than dryland chickpeas in the South (where all irrigated chickpeas are reported). Irrigated sugar beets in the South are expected at relative average yields with a 103 five-year index.

Quality expectations are also being reported favorably on major crops relative to long-term normal with exception of durum. Hard Red Spring Wheat is expected at 68 per cent 1 CW (54 per cent on five-year average) and is reported in particularly high quality in the Peace. Barley, canola, and dry pea quality expectations are modestly ahead of their long-term averages and oats marginally behind long-term normal quality. Durum is the notable exception with a quality downgrade relative to normal, as 12 per cent more than normal of the total provincial crop is expected at 2 CW grade.

Hay production across the province for the combined growing season is said to be behind the long-term average. Yields across the province averaged 1.6 t/acre on dryland first cut (1.5 on 10-year average), 0.9 t/acre on dryland second cut (1.1 on 10- year average), 2.1 t/ac on irrigated first cut (2.4 on 10-year average) and 1.5 t/acre on irrigated second cut (1.8 on 10- year average). Pastures are described as more marginal than normal with 73 per cent of all pasture rated as poor or fair (55 per cent on 10-year average).

Officials say deteriorating soil moisture trends continue, with exception of the Peace region which received meaningful precipitation over the past week. Near normal precipitation in this growing season helped deliver on the above average yields reported for 2022; however, soils are now back at pre-June low soil moisture levels.

Large areas of the province are now back to ‘moderately low’ to ‘very low’ soil moisture levels relative to long-term normal. Many areas of the province, with exception of the Peace, have received less than 30 mm of rain since late July and a drying trend persists with areas around Edmonton, Bonneville, Red Deer, Olds, and Medicine Hat having dry conditions that occur only once in 25 years.

June rain resulted in the above reported favorable yields for this growing season but roughly 70 per cent of the province is now back to below normal soil moisture. Both fall and winter precipitation will now be looked to for next year.