Alberta Crop Report: cooler, but more rain has been good
Crop conditions as of May 2
While temperatures in March were below normal throughout the South and much of the Central region, statistically April was close to typical temperatures (see blue shading on map). Cold nights with large daily temperature swings resulted in snow packs that took until well into April to melt off resulting in some delays to spring field operations in those areas. Provincial seeding progress is reported by observers as three per cent of crops seeded compared to the five-year average of 11 per cent, and 10- year average of 12 per cent (Table 1). This delay is most notable in the South as they are 25 per cent behind the five-year average of 32 per cent complete (Figure 1). Central region seeding is over two per cent complete in comparison to the five-year average of five percent, and 10-year average of eight per cent, with the remaining regions close to on target and within one or two per cent of the historical averages. Given that seeding has just begun, few to no crops have emerged as of yet. Those few acres that have emerged are in the South.
Spring weather conditions have resulted in some erosion events, most of it very light to no damage. The South experienced moderate erosion from runoff on 31 per cent of acres, while wind also caused moderate damage to 31 per cent of South acres and 15 per cent of lands in the North-East. Soil moisture ratings are mixed across the province for both surface as well as sub-surface moisture according to the survey respondents. Currently 17 per cent of the surface moisture is rated as poor, 31 per cent fair, 41 per cent good, 10 per cent excellent with one per cent having excess surface soil moisture (Table 2). Sub-surface soil moisture ratings across the province are at 15 per cent poor, 40 per cent fair, 37 per cent good, seven per cent excellent and less than one per cent excessive.
Survey feedback indicates that roughly 92 percent of producers have adequate or surplus feed grain, while 80 per cent have adequate to surplus forage reserves. Pasture and tame hay fields are also off to a slow start from the cool temperatures, leading to ratings of 42 per cent of pasture growth good to excellent (Table 3) and tame hay growth slightly behind at 30 per cent rated good or excellent.
Regional Assessments:
Region One: South (Strathmore, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Foremost) - Moisture conditions vary across the region with cool conditions delaying the start of seeding.
- Seeding has begun in all areas of the region with progress for all crops reported at seven per cent.
- Seeding progress for sugar beets is at 35 per cent, dry beans at zero per cent and spring triticale at eight per cent. - Fall-seeded crops are rated 72 per cent
good to excellent, with 26 per cent rated
as fair. - Surface soil moisture (zero to six inches) is rated at 48 per cent good to excellent, with sub-surface moisture (below six inches) rated at 48 per cent good to excellent. Region Two: Central (Rimbey, Airdrie, Coronation, Oyen) - Conditions in this region were cool until recently, with some areas reporting that some field edges still have snowdrifts persisting. - Seeding has either already begun or is expected to begin immediately in all areas across the region.
- Seeding progress of all crops is at three
per cent.
- Seeding progress for spring triticale is
at four per cent.
- Fall-seeded crops are 68 per cent good to
excellent, with 24 per cent rated as fair. - Surface soil moisture (zero to six inches) is rated at 65 per cent good to excellent, with sub-surface moisture (below six inches) rated at 49 per cent good to excellent.