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News Advertiser
OCTOBER 9, 2019
www.NewsAdvertiser.com
Harvest Update Emily Mailhot Reporter – Vegreville News Advertiser As municipalities throughout Alberta declare “Agricultural State of Emergency,” following an almost inhospitably wet year, a lot of talk has followed about the alarming state of crops throughout the area. While a state of disaster is, according to County of Minburn agriculture field-
man Darwin Ullery, simply words, there are counties in the province – including Lac Ste. Ann County and Leduc County – who have suffered enough to warrant such a title. “It’s my understanding that Lac St Anne is in far worse shape than we are,” expands Ullery, “as they have received far more rainfall. But even there, if the ground freezes so producers can get in the fields and the snow stays away they could still get their crops off, it’s not that it’s impossible or is a disaster per se. However, the window is narrowing.” According to Ullery, farmers in the County of Minburn only had 20 to 30% of the crop off before the weekend. “Wet weather has delayed harvest to the point that without some dry windy weather to help dry things out progress will continue at a slow pace with producers getting through what they can, when they can, and drying what they do get off. We just haven’t really had that good stretch of weather required to run longer hours and get this crop off.” Beaver County has seen a similar situation, and shared similar hopes that the warm weekend weather would offer a chance for the majority of remaining crops to come off the fields. “The recent wet weather has slowed harvest down in the region,” said Aimee Boese, Beaver County agricultural fieldman. “I think with some sunnier weather forecasted, later next week, it is
hopeful that farmers will be able to get back in the fields soon.” And finally, County of Two Hills fieldman Elden Kozak says that things are finally looking up after the wet summer and early fall. “Lots of harvest progress was made in the last week with the weather being better, October 1st harvest reports show the Province is about 50% complete with our region being slightly above that mark,” Kozak explained. “Weather conditions sound like they will be changing for the worst again this week, and there is still a lot of crop out to be harvested.” With weather up to 19 degrees Celsius and a flurry of combining in nearly every remaining field this weekend, it would seem that the game of “catch-up” farmers throughout the area have been playing all year is finally being won. According to the October 4 provincial crop report, however, major crops are still down 24.8% from the regional 5-year average. The regional report reads: “Minimal harvest progress took place since last report. Field conditions have been affected by both rain and snow and crops were impacted by frost. There are also reports of geese in fields as they migrate south. “Pea harvest is 88 per cent complete, 28 per cent of barley has been combined with 26 per cent swathed, 19 per
cent of wheat is off with another 18 per cent in the swath. Oats have 23 per cent in the bin with 26 swathed, and 6 per cent of canola has been combined with 75 per cent in the swath. “There are no surface soil moisture ratings of poor, 2 percent fair, 51 good with 45 rated as excellent and 2 per cent excessive. There are no sub-surface soil moisture ratings of poor, fair ratings are 4 per cent, 41 rated as good with 54 per cent rated as excellent and 1 per cent rated as excessive. “Pasture rated as poor is currently at 11, fair is 26, good ratings are 63 per cent, with none rated as excellent. “Fall seeded crop ratings of fair are 13 and 87 rated as good.” More information will be provided as it becomes available.
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