According to the provincial report, the majority of crops are in good condition and at normal stages of development for this time of year. 

At this point, 20% of the spring cereals are in the heading stage, while 45% of the canola and mustard and 44% of the pulse crops are flowering.

Farmers are busy now with field scouting, wrapping up in-crop herbicide applications and applying fungicides as warranted. 

The majority of crop damage this past week was due to localized flooding, lack of moisture, strong winds, and hail. 

Scattered showers in the last week brought some much-needed rain to many areas of the province.

Rainfall last week ranged from trace amounts to 53 mm in the Arborfield area.  Additional rainfall in the past few days has alleviated some concerns over dry conditions, although more will be needed in the coming weeks to help crops develop.

Environment Canada’s John Paul Cragg says rainfall totals can vary drastically even within city limits or field to field.

He says weekend precipitation varied from about maybe around 20 mm of rain to nothing in the South West. Swift Current itself received 15 mm of precipitation over the long weekend at the station at the airport. However, again since the precipitation was so local some parts of Swift Current could have seen a little bit more, some a little less.

Other long weekend Precipitation totals ranged from 1.1 mm in Weyburn to 2.3 mm in Moose Jaw, 3.8 mm at Kindersley, 8.3 mm in Rosetown and 9.9 mm at Estevan.

Overall, areas from around Regina to the East have seen well over the average precipitation in the last 3 months, meantime areas from Moose Jaw to the west are seeing well under the average precipitation.

Some of the driest areas in the province are reportedly around Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Rosetown and Kindersley.  April to June precipitations totals range from 44.8 mm at Swift Current to 199.4 mm at Weyburn.

Some areas that received frequent rains are reporting root rot in pulse crops and leaf spots in cereal crops.

Rain and high humidity have also delayed some haying activity.

The report shows livestock producers now have 14% of the crop cut and 10% baled or put into silage.  Hay quality is rated as 7% excellent, 50% good, 37% fair and 6% poor. Hay yields are expected to be lower than average and many pastures are expected to have significantly reduced carrying capacity. 

Generally, pasture conditions in the Province are rated as 6% excellent, 44% good, 34% fair, 13 % poor and 3% very poor.

The report also shows that some areas that received frequent rains are now reporting signs of root rot in pulses and leaf spots in cereal crops.

Despite rain delays and high humidity, haying continues.  

This week’s report shows Livestock producers now have 14 % of the crop cut with another 10% baled or put into silage. 

Hay quality is rated as 7% excellent good, 37% fair and 6% poor. Hay yields are coming in lower than average and many pastures are expected to have significantly reduced carrying capacity.

Pasture conditions are rated as 6% excellent,  44% good, 34% fair, 13% poor and 3% very poor. Farmers are busy haying and scouting for insects and disease.