Harvest progress ramps up thanks to heatwave

Sep 10, 2025 | 11:27 AM

The Alberta Crop Report dated Sept. 2, says the late summer blast of heat has helped producers to get crops ripened and off the fields.

Provincial harvest of all major crops, as per the time of the report, progressed significantly to 22 per cent complete. This is 14 per cent more than the previous report a week before.

Harvest progress is ahead of the five-year and ten-year averages of 21 and 17 per cent, respectively.

In the Peace Region, 19.2 per cent of harvest for major crops has been completed. That is broken down into:

28.2 per cent of spring wheat
32.6 per cent of barley
20.7 per cent of oats
5.5 per cent of canola
49.1 per cent of dry peas

Although heat is supporting harvest operations, it has depleted surface and sub-surface soil moisture ratings. The Peace Region continues to be below average, but is faring slightly better than the northeast and northwest regions.

Peace Region regional sub-surface soil moisture is rated at 11 per cent poor, 53 per cent fair, and 37 per cent good, with no areas rated as excellent or excessive.

Hot and dry weather has limited growth for tame hay, but has been ideal for drying a second cut. Tame hay growth conditions in the Peace are reported as 25 per cent poor, 51 per cent fair, 24 per cent good, and 1 per cent excellent.

The next report is due out Friday, Sept. 12.

by Erika Rolling