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(Image Credit: Erika Rolling)
By Erika Rolling
Crop Report

Crops flourish thanks to late July heat

Aug 4, 2026 | 1:24 PM

The latest Alberta Crop Report by AFSC says the entire province reaped the benefits of warmer weather in the latter half of July, with some scattered rain showers giving relief to a few regions.

In the Peace Region, 48.7 percent of major crops are rated good to excellent as of July 28. This is above the five-year average of 43.6 per cent, but behind the 10-year average of 57.9 per cent.

Crop conditions were at 53.9 per cent good to excellent in the July 21 report and 54.5 per cent good to excellent in the July 14 report.

The breakdown per crop rated good-to-excellent in the Peace is as follows:

  • Spring Wheat – 52.7 per cent
  • Canola – 46 per cent
  • Dry Peas – 47.3 per cent
  • Winter Wheat -47.6 per cent
  • Fall Rye – 48.1 per cent
  • Oats -49.2 per cent
  • Barley -49.9 per cent

The southern regions of Alberta experienced significant changes to their surface and sub-surface soil moisture ratings since the previous report due to the hot and dry weather. The north did lose some moisture in the ground but very minimally.

Surface soil moisture in the Peace rated good to excellent is at 75 per cent, a decrease of only 5 per cent. The Peace has the best soil moisture ratings in Alberta at the time of this report.

Sub-surface soil moisture remains unchanged in the Peace since the prior report at 90 per cent good-to-excellent, and remains the best in the province as well.

Pasture conditions dropped 3 per cent from the week before down to 50 per cent good-to-excellent in the Peace; the lowest rating in the province. Provincially, 70 per cent of first-cut dryland hay is complete and averaging 1.8 tons per acre, with quality rated as 65 per cent good-to-excellent.

Conditions of tame hay are reported as 11 per cent poor, 34 per cent fair, 45 per cent good, and 11 per cent excellent in the Peace.

The next provincial crop report is due out on August 7.

by Erika Rolling