STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.

Harvest sunset near Five Mile Hall in the County of Grande Prairie. (Image Credit: Erika Rolling)
By Erika Rolling
Crop report

Harvest virtually complete in Alberta, Peace Region canola far behind

Oct 26, 2026 | 11:55 AM

The latest Alberta Crop Report dated Oct. 20, says there isn’t enough data from the past 5 and 10 years to provide comparisons, as harvest 2026 continues at an historically slow pace.

The slow progress is being blamed by moisture, both in the crop and field. Cooler temperatures are also slowing the drying process of grain in the field and strong winds have moved swaths around fields as well.

Provincial harvest of major crops sits at 94 per cent complete. The Peace Region is the furthest behind at 81 per cent.

All three northern regions of Alberta note that remaining crops mostly consist of swathed canola and later maturing cereals.

A breakdown of the estimate of crop harvested in the Peace by major crop is:

  • Spring Wheat – 92.1 per cent
  • Barley – 91.9 per cent
  • Oats -84.9 per cent
  • Winter Wheat – 96.4 per cent
  • Fall Rye – 95.7 per cent
  • Canola – 68.2 per cent
  • Dry Peas – 99.9 per cent

The report notes major crop yield in the Peace is expected to be 14 per cent above the 5-year average.

Provincially, spring wheat is currently expected to average 54.4 bushels/acre, barley is expected to yield 73.2 bushels/acre, oats are expected to yield 79.2 bushels/acre, canola is expected to yield 37.8 bushels/acre and dry peas are expected to yield 43.3 bushels/acre.

Soil moisture ratings were basically unchanged in the Peace compared to the report prior. Surface soil moisture remained unchanged at 93 per cent good-to-excellent. Sub-surface soil moisture declined one point to 98 per cent good-to-excellent.

Due to cooler temperatures and typical late-October conditions, producers are beginning to bring cattle home from pasture as forage growth continues to slow. Currently, pasture growth conditions are 47 per cent good-to-excellent in the Peace Region, on par with the province’s average of 48 per cent good-to-excellent.

Peace Region dryland hay production only consisted of a first-cut this year, which averaged 1.8 tons per acre.

The next crop report is due out October 30.

by Erika Rolling