Major crop yields to be 9 per cent above 5-year average in Peace

Aug 19, 2026 | 6:00 AM

Persistent rains across the province have hampered crop development to many regions, but done the opposite in the south by bringing some relief to heat stressed fields.

In the latest Alberta Crop Report by AFSC, they say 12 per cent of provincial major crops (canola and peas) are flowering and 88 per cent are podding. Some harvesting has started down in southern Alberta.

Crop conditions in the Peace increased slightly from the report prior‘s good-to-excellent ratio:

Spring Wheat – 51.7 per cent
Barley -51.6 per cent
Oats -48.9 per cent
Winter Wheat – 51 per cent
Fall Rye – 42.4 per cent
Canola – 46 per cent
Dry Peas – 47.1 per cent

The report suggests that major crops across Alberta will yield 20 per cent above their 5-year averages in 2026. The Peace is expected to be 9 per cent over the 5-year average for dryland yields.

Soil moisture conditions in the Peace have not suffered despite spotty rain showers, thunderstorms, and cooler temperatures over the reporting period. AFSC says the staging process was slow over the past week due to these conditions.

Surface soil moisture in the Peace is 1.6 per cent poor, 15.9 per cent fair, 45.6 per cent good, 31.5 per cent excellent, and 5.3 per cent poor.

First cut of dryland hay is virtually complete in the Peace, as well as the South and Central regions. Pasture growth conditions (tame hay growth conditions) are rated as 14 (11) per cent poor, 36 (33) per cent fair, 41 (45) per cent good and 9 (11) per cent excellent in the Peace.

by Erika Rolling