Warm, dry weather during the first half of September has allow farmers to make very good harvest progress.

Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report says 64 per cent had been combined as of Monday—up from 42 per cent the previous week. This is the harvest progress by region: southwest (92 per cent), west-central (80 per cent), southeast (57 per cent), northwest (47 per cent), east-central (46 per cent) and the northeast (41 per cent)

Harvest progress by crop is lentils and peas (95 percent), durum (90 per cent), barley (72 per cent), spring wheat (68 per cent), canola (39 per cent) and flax (23 per cent) combined. There is an additional 40 per cent of canola that is ready to swath or straight-cut.

Crop reporters were also asked to assess the quality of lentils, peas and durum.  Durum quality grades are estimated at 50 per cent 1 CW, 30 per cent 2 CW, 15 per cent 3 CW and five per cent 4 and 5 CW. Peas are estimated at 45 per cent 1 CAN, 46 per cent 2 CAN, nine per cent 3 CAN and one per cent Sample grade. Lentil quality grades are estimated as 34 per cent 1 CAN, 60 per cent 2 CAN and seven per cent 3 CAN.

Provincial cropland topsoil moisture is rated one per cent surplus, 37 per cent adequate, 38 per cent short and 24 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 27 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 28 per cent very short.

Frost was reported in scattered areas of the province from the southeast up into the northwest. Damage is not fully assessed yet as some areas had a harder frost than others.

More information is available in the region-by-region crop report below:

SOUTHEAST

Harvest continued to progress well this past week with 57 per cent of the crop now in the bin, up from 33 per cent last year but still behind the five-year (2017-2021) average of 68 per cent. An additional 20 per cent of the crop is ready to be swathed or straight-cut, if the weather remains ideal for harvesting, producers should be wrapped up their operations in two to three weeks. Winter cereals, pulse crops, durum, spring wheat and canola are the main crops to have come off so far in the region.

Very little rainfall was received in the region this past week with only up to five mm in the Moosomin area. While the region has had more rain this growing season than others it is rapidly drying out, some livestock producers are becoming increasingly more concerned with their pastures and some are now moving cattle due to a lack of grazing capacity.

Once harvest is wrapped up, producers are hoping for high amounts of precipitation to replenish topsoil and subsoil moisture as well as ensure there are adequate water sources for livestock. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as three per cent surplus, 66 per cent adequate, 28 per cent short and three per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as three per cent surplus, 50 per cent adequate, 38 per cent short and nine per cent very short.

Durum grades in the region are currently being estimated as 56 per cent 1 CW, 32 per cent 2 CW, eight per cent 3 CW and four per cent 4 and 5 CW. Pea grades are estimated as 46 per cent 1 CAN, 50 per cent 2 CAN and four per cent 3 CAN. Lentil grades are estimated to be 53 per cent 1 CAN, 36 per cent 2 CAN, eleven per cent 3 CAN.

The majority of crop damage in the past week was due to wind, grasshoppers and frost. No major crop damage has been reported yet. Producers hope that it was a light frost and will not damage the quality of standing crops. There were also reports of damage caused by waterfowl and wildlife that have trampled and or eaten crops still in the field.

Producers are busy combining, harrowing, baling straw, hauling bales and moving cattle.

SOUTHWEST

Harvest is almost wrapped in the region after another week of great weather. Ninety-three per cent of the crop is now in the bin, up from 83 per cent last week and well ahead the five-year average of 76 per cent. An additional four per cent is ready to be swathed or straight-cut.

Rainfall in the region ranged from none to trace amounts this past week. Producers would appreciate a long, gentle, soaking rain that lasts multiple days now that harvest is largely finished. Soils are too dry in many parts of the region to allow for seeding of winter cereals. Moisture is desperately needed to ensure adequate moisture next spring. Livestock producers are increasingly nervous about their feed stocks, grazing capacity and water availability. Some have already started to reduce their herd sizes to stay within their available resources.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as six per cent adequate, 31 per cent short and 63 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent adequate, 34 per cent short and 65 per cent very short.

Durum grades in the region are currently being estimated as 49 per cent 1 CW, 30 per cent 2 CW, 17 per cent 3 CW and four per cent 4 and 5 CW. Pea grades are estimated as 45 per cent 1 CAN, 28 per cent 2 CAN, 25 per cent 3 CAN and two per cent Sample. Lentil grades are estimated to be 21 per cent 1 CAN, 71 per cent 2 CAN and eight per cent 3 CAN.

The majority of crop damage past week was due to drought, wind and grasshoppers. There were minor reports of frost damage in the region, but the majority of crops in the region would not have been affected due to being too mature or already harvested.

Producers are busy combining, baling straw, hauling bales, moving cattle, cleaning equipment and prepping for fall field activities.

WEST CENTRAL

Harvest is over for many producers in the region, while others have a little bit more to finish up before they can move into fall field activities. Currently, 80 per cent of the crop has now been combined, up from 61 per cent last week and well ahead of the five-year average of 67 per cent. Harvest will hopefully wrap up soon so producers can receive precipitation without any delay to field activities.

No precipitation this past week has again continued the downward trend of topsoil moisture in the region and there are concerns of fire hazards in the field. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 19 per cent adequate, 46 per cent short and 35 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as 16 per cent adequate, 42 per cent short and 42 per cent very short. Livestock producers are struggling to hold their cattle on pastures to reserve their hay bales for the cold months ahead.

Durum grades in the region are currently being estimated as 59 per cent 1 CW, 30 per cent 2 CW, seven per cent 3 CW and four per cent 4 and 5 CW. Pea grades are estimated as 43 per cent 1 CAN, 55 per cent 2 CAN and three per cent 3 CAN. Lentil grades are estimated to be 35 per cent 1 CAN, 63 per cent 2 CAN and two per cent 3 CAN.

The majority of crop damage this past week was due to wind and drought. Winds have been blowing swaths around and shelling out crops. Grasshoppers are still a pest, but with harvest finishing up and the potential for frost in the coming weeks, the grasshopper issue will be over until next year.

Producers are busy combining, baling straw and moving cattle home and beginning to bale feed them.

EAST CENTRAL

After a slow start to the harvesting season, producers in the east-central region have made great strides with the help of some hot, dry weather over the past several weeks. They now have 46 per cent of the crop in the bin, up from 27 per cent last week and right on par with the five-year average of 46 per cent. If the current harvesting conditions continue, producers will hopefully be able to get most of their crop off before the middle of October.

Crop District 6A is far more advanced in their harvest progress than the two other districts in the region since they were much drier. Most producers in the district have finished or are about to finish, while producers in the eastern half of the region are still struggling with some crops that have not yet dried down.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 53 per cent adequate, 35 per cent short and 12 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as 43 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and 16 per cent very short.

Durum grades in the region are currently being estimated as 62 per cent 1 CW, 33 per cent 2 CW, four per cent 3 CW and two per cent 4 and 5 CW. Pea grades are estimated as 51 per cent 1 CAN, 48 per cent 2 CAN and one per cent 3 CAN. Lentil grades are estimated to be 61 per cent 1 CAN, 31 per cent 2 CAN and eight per cent 3 CAN.

The majority of crop damage past week was due to wind and minor frost. Producers are hoping the frost was not too harsh since some of their crop is not ripe enough to escape damage. Strong winds caused swaths to blow around, shelling out and lodging in many standing crops.

Producers are busy combining, swathing, baling and hauling bales.

NORTHEAST

Harvest is progressing very well in the region with producers now having 41 per cent of the crop now combined, up from 21 per cent last week and just ahead of the five-year average of 36 per cent. Many crops have been desiccated or swathed and are ready to be straight cut. Producers are happy to have had a few hot dry weeks to finally push crops to ripen. Producers are hoping that the rains stay away just a little longer to help keep the momentum of harvest going.

There was little rainfall received in the region this past week, ranging from two mm in the Garrick area to six mm in the Arborfield area. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 65 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and two per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as 54 per cent adequate, 43 per cent short and three per cent very short.

Pea grades are estimated as 41 per cent 1 CAN and 59 per cent 2 CAN.

The majority of crop damage past week was due to wind, waterfowl and a light frost. The frost will likely not result in any crop damage, but producers will keep their eyes out for any signs of damage.

Producers are busy swathing, combining and hauling bales.

NORTHWEST

Some parts of the region are close to wrapping up harvest while other areas of the region are still looking at another two to three weeks before harvest will be completed. Currently 47 per cent of the crop has been harvested, up from 28 per cent last week and well ahead of the five-year average of 27 per cent. Harvest progress for this region has been largely influenced by the dry growing conditions in some areas and the lack of rain over the past several weeks. Some grain is coming off damp or tough and is being dried in grain driers or aeration bins.

Very little precipitation was received this past week, the Meadow Lake area received five mm, the St. Walburg area three mm and the Livelong area two mm.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 16 per cent adequate, 79 per cent short and five per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as 12 per cent adequate, 79 per cent short and 10 per cent very short.

Pea grades are estimated as 40 per cent 1 CAN, 52 per cent 2 CAN and eight per cent 3 CAN.

The majority of crop damage past week was due to wind and waterfowl. There was several reports of hard frost in the western half of the region but producers are saying that most crops are too far advanced to be affected.

Producers are busy combining, swathing, grain drying and moving bales.