The extremely hot and dry weather and minimal rainfall this week continues to cause crops to rapidly advance through their developmental stages.
Currently, 36 per cent of fall cereals, 29 per cent of spring cereals, 25 per cent of oilseed crops and 30 per cent of pulse crops are ahead of their normal stages of development for this time of year.
The majority of crops this week are in poor to good condition.
The prolonged period of heat, coupled with the extremely dry conditions of the topsoil, has caused crops to be short, thin and rapidly advancing in many regions of the province due to the stress.
Without a significant rainfall, many crops throughout the province will have their yields and quality severely impacted.
East-Central Saskatchewan:
·Crop District 5 – Melville, Yorkton, Cupar, Kamsack, Foam Lake, Preeceville and Kelvington areas
·Crop District 6A – Lumsden, Craik, Watrous and Clavet areas
Like many other areas of the province, the extended period of hot and dry weather has caused significant damage to crops in the east-central region.
Any crops that are flowering during the high temperatures will be severely impacted, especially canola crops as heat blasting and heat stress is apparent in many fields.
The damage is now irreversible with many crops being thin, stunted and prematurely ripening. Without significant moisture to replenish the topsoil the crops may not have enough moisture to properly set seed.
Crops in the region are rated as poor to good. Forty-five per cent of the fall cereals, 69 per cent of the spring cereals, 64 per cent of the oilseed and 69 per cent of the pulse crops are in their normal stages of development.
While most of the region received small amounts of rain, the Foam Lake area reported 64 mm, the Humboldt area 32.6 mm, the Kuroki area 27 mm, the Craven and Lipton areas 20 mm, the Yorkton area 14 mm and the Rose Valley area four mm.
The topsoil moisture conditions for the region have changed very little since the previous week.
Cropland top soil moisture is rated as 20 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and 39 per cent very short.
Hay and pasture land is rated as 14 per cent adequate, 40 per cent short and 46 per cent very short.
Like all other regions in the province the east-central is in desperate need of rainfall to help later seeded crops set seed. Thirty-one per cent of the hay crop has now been cut and 27 percent has been baled or put into silage.
Hay quality is rated as three per cent excellent, 53 per cent good, 20 per cent fair and 24 per cent poor.
Yields are predicted to be less than normal especially in areas with sandier soils and where less rainfall was received.
The majority of crop damage this past week is due to lack of moisture, strong winds, gophers, grasshoppers and a severe hail storm that caused widespread damage.
Producers are busy haying, spraying for grasshoppers, fixing equipment and hoping for rain.
Provincially, the topsoil moisture levels across the province also continue to decrease. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 14 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and 45 per cent very poor. Hay and pasture land is rated as nine per cent adequate, 36 per cent short and 55 per cent very short.
Rainfall this past week ranged from nil to 64 mm in the Foam Lake area. Scattered thunderstorms across the province provided a range of precipitation with some areas receiving more than others. The Odessa, Mossbank and Humboldt areas received 32 mm, the Radville and Rockglen areas 29 mm and the Avonlea area received 22 mm.
The rainfall this week did little to delay producers from their haying operations. Livestock producers now have 26 per cent of the hay crop cut while 39 per cent has been baled or put into silage. Hay quality is rated as four per cent excellent, 48 per cent good, 33 per cent fair and 15 per cent poor.
In response to the feed shortage this year, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation is doubling the Low Yield Appraisal threshold values for customers who salvage their cereal or pulse crops as feed, without negatively impacting future individual coverage. Customers are asked to contact their local SCIC office before they graze, bale or silage any damaged crops to discuss their options.
Additionally, the Government of Saskatchewan is making changes to temporarily increase the maximum funding a livestock producer can receive from the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program (FRWIP) for dugouts, wells and pipelines for agricultural use. This change will be in effect for the April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, time period. The maximum rebate for livestock producers during this time period will increase from $50,000 to $150,000. The first $50,000 will be based on a 50-50 cost-share and the remaining $100,000 will be on a 70-30 government-producer cost-share. Producers can contact the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at 1-866-457-2377 for more information.
The Ministry of Highways would like to remind producers that grass is available, at no cost, for haying in highway ditches and rights of way. Since July 8, producers have been able to harvest any unclaimed hay without seeking permission of the adjacent landowner.
In the southern and central regions, hay in the ditches along secondary and rural highways is available on a first-come basis. Bales must be removed before August 15.
In the northern grain belt, contractors will start mowing ditches and rights of way on July 15. For more details, check out saskatchewan.ca or contact the Ministry of Highways district office in your area.
Crop and hay land damage this week was caused by the extremely dry soil conditions, hot temperatures, hot dry winds, grasshoppers and severe hail storms that swept through many parts of the province.
We would like to remind producers the Farm Stress Line is available for support if you need it. The Farm Stress Line is a confidential service, available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, toll-free at 1-800-667-4442. Calls are answered by Mobile Crisis Services Regina, a non-profit, community-based agency and there is no call display.
A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/crop-report.
Follow the 2021 Crop Report on Twitter at @SKAgriculture.
