Alberta harvest progressing rapidly | Farmtario

Warm temperatures and only minor rain delays allowed farmers in Alberta to make good harvest progress during the week ended Sept. 3, according to the latest provincial crop report.

Total harvest progress for major crops came in at 31.5 per cent, which was up from 18.2 per cent the previous week and roughly double the five-year average for this time of year.

The southern part of the province was the most advanced, at 55.0 per cent complete, while crops in northeastern Alberta were only 15.1 per cent combined.

The pea harvest was wrapping up provincially, at 91.1 per cent done, which compares with the five-year average of 66 per cent and was seen as a sign that many producers were finished with the pulse harvest and moving over to cereal crops. Barley crossed the halfway mark at 50.1 per cent harvested, which compares with the five-year average of 25.0 per cent. Spring wheat was 36.0 per cent harvested, up 20 points from the average, while oats was 20.8 per cent done. Canola was 4.9 per cent combined, which was slightly ahead of the five-year average, with an additional 38 per cent swathed.

An estimated 34 per cent of the province reported good-to-excellent surface soil moisture this week, improving one point. However, subsurface soil moisture dropped four points to come in at 24 per cent good-to-excellent.