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By rdnewsNOW Staff

bUSY sEASON

Alberta’s 2024 harvest season is underway

Aug 20, 2024 | 1:39 PM

Harvest 2024 has officially begun across the province and Alberta’s government wishes farmers a safe, successful and productive season.

As combines start rolling across Alberta, the government notes that farmers are working diligently to maximize yields and safely take off their crops, making this a busy and important time for the province’s agricultural sector. Provincial officials acknowledge that farmers faced many challenges this year due to drought concerns, late spring rains and hot sunny days. Fortunately, says the government, Alberta farmers are resilient and early reports show that yields are in line with historical averages.

Provincial officials say Alberta producers continue to prioritize safety throughout the busy harvest season, including maintaining vigilance when operating machinery. It is also crucial for Albertans to be cautious and patient on roads and highways. The government says Albertans will see more combines and grain trucks on the move this time of year and should give farmers extra space as they transport equipment from field to field.

“Fall is one of the busiest times of year for farmers and harvest means long days in the fields,’ says RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation. “Thank you to our province’s dedicated farmers and ranchers who work tirelessly to put food on tables here at home and around the globe.”

While it is very early in the 2024 harvest season, provincial officials say Alberta’s crop reports indicate that the Peace and South Regions are currently expecting above-average yields while the Northwest is on par with the five-year averages. Current data indicates the Central and Northeast Regions are expecting yields to be slightly below their five-year average.

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The government says first cut dryland hay is complete and averaged 1.5 tons per acre, above the historical averages, with the highest yields in the Northwest and Northeast Regions. About half of Alberta producers expect a second cut of hay, with 16 per cent already cut. Officials say irrigated first cut hay in the South averaged 2.6 tons per acre and the second cut is half done.

Alberta government quick facts:

• The Alberta Crop Report is developed through a partnership between Agriculture and Irrigation, Agriculture Financial Services Corporation and the Association of Alberta Agricultural Fieldmen.
• Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, on behalf of the federal and provincial governments, offers a suite of business risk management programs that help protect Alberta’s producers.
• The suite, which includes AgriInsurance, AgriStability, AgriInvest and the AgriRecovery framework, is designed to respond to each producer’s unique situation and assist with severe market and production losses and disaster events.
• Agriculture and Irrigation provides online information and tools to help with on-farm business management and production issues during dry conditions and periods of business stress.
• Since 1940, the Alberta Crop Report has provided timely production information during the growing season.
• Data for the report is collected through regular surveys on moisture and crop conditions, progress of seeding and harvesting, insect and disease situation and yield potential and crop quality.

Related information

• Agriculture Financial Services Corporation
• Alberta crop reports
• Farming in dry conditions

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