Wet canola crop on August 24 in Fairview. Photo by Erika Rolling.

By Erika Rolling

Agriculture

Peace Region seeing better yields compared to provincial averages

Sep 4, 2024 | 12:00 PM

Harvest continues around Alberta with prime conditions across the board to be in the fields.

Progress has advanced to just over 20 per cent completion in the province, per the latest Alberta Crop Report on August 27.

In the Peace Region, 75 per cent of winter wheat, 42 per cent of dry peas, and 16 per cent of barley have been combined. Combining progress also climbed to 11 per cent completion and swathing to 14 per cent. Seventy-five per cent of crops are still standing in the Peace.

Preliminary dryland yield estimates have declined slightly since the crop report two weeks prior. The provincial yield index is estimated to be just below 1 per cent of the 5-year average and 5 per cent below the 10-year average. The best yields are being found in the South Region, and the Central Region has the poorest.

The Peace Region is seeing yields (bushels/acre) of:

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• Spring Wheat – 46.3
• Barley – 56.3
• Oats – 58.3
• Canola – 33.7
• Dry Peas – 39.7

The provincial average yields are:

• Spring Wheat – 46.3
• Barely – 58.6
• Oats – 69.3
• Canola – 33.2
• Dry Peas – 36.6

Precipitation over the past week also gave some much-needed moisture to the northwestern portion of the province. Anywhere from 10-50 millimetres fell in the Peace, north east, and north west Regions.

Overall, the provincial good to excellent rating for sub-surface soil moisture stands at 33 per cent and 27 per cent for surface soil moisture. This is an improvement of 1 per cent for sub-surface from the week prior.

Regionally, the Peace’s ratings are 70 per cent good to excellent for sub-surface soil moisture and 71 per cent for surface soil moisture.

Dryland hay second cut is 87 per cent complete in the Peace, with an average yield of 1.0 tons per acre. Pasture growth conditions are rated as 8 per cent poor, 32 per cent fair, 52 per cent good, and 8 per cent excellent.