Glacier FarmMedia — Rains across Alberta, which varied in their intensity and brought some hail, helped stabilize moisture levels and crop conditions during the week ended Aug. 5.
Major crops across the province were rated at 63.6 per cent good to excellent, just 0.2 of a percentage point higher than the previous week. However, the figure is well above the five-year average of 51.3 per cent and the 10-year average of 55.8 per cent.
Crops in the central region stayed put at 93 per cent good to excellent, while the northwest declined one point at 68 per cent. The south was unchanged at 64 per cent, the northeast dropped one point at 58 per cent and the Peace region gained three points at 25 per cent. The central region exceeded its five-year average by 44 points while the Peace region is trailing its own by more than 25 points.
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Cereal crops continue to develop ahead of the long-term average, with the provincial average growth stage now at early dough development, compared to the historical average of late milk stage. Harvesting has begun for fall-seeded crops and pulses in the south. In the Peace and northwest regions, the harvest of spring seeded crops is expected to begin within the next two weeks.
In Alberta, 59.2 per cent was rated as having good to excellent surface soil moisture, ahead of the five-year average of 46.7 per cent and the 10-year average of 50 per cent. The central region was unchanged from the previous week with a rating at 86.6 per cent. The south region declined nine points at 55.1 per cent, the northeast was up 12 points at 49.8 per cent, the northwest was unchanged at 39.4 per cent and the Peace region was up three points at 35 per cent.
Sub-surface soil moisture was up two points in the central region at 86 per cent, up four points in the south at 47 per cent, up six points in the Peace region at 40 per cent, down one point in the northeast at 33 per cent and unchanged at 29 per cent in the northwest.
Pasture growth conditions in Alberta were rated at 53.9 per cent good to excellent, compared to the five-year average of 45.1 per cent and the 10-year average of 45.1 per cent. The central region was rated at 83.2 per cent, up two points from the previous week. The south was up one point at 48.4 per cent, the northwest was down four points at 34.5 per cent, the Peace region added five points at 28.1 per cent and the northeast was down one point at 27 per cent.
Tame hay improved by one point provincewide at 44 per cent good to excellent, below the five-year average of 47 per cent and the 10-year average of 50 per cent. The central region improved by two points at 73 per cent, with the south added one point at 42 per cent. The northwest dropped four points at 39 per cent, the Peace region added five points at 27 per cent and the northeast declined one point at 23 per cent.
