Northwest Region Crop Report Prepared by: Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO Teams & Crops Knowledge Centre August 12, 2013 |

Northwest Region

The Northwest Region saw very little precipitation with total accumulations of up to 5 mm for the week. Cloudy and windy weather conditions, and the below seasonal average temperatures, continue to persist.

The cool conditions and adequate moisture are favouring good development for canola and coarse grains. Pod fill of canola and grain fill of cereal crops is good as crop matures. Canola acres are 75% fully podded with the remaining acres at various stages of podding and flowering. Winter wheat is ripening slowly with no reports of fields ready for harvest operations. Hemp is flowering and the corn is beginning to tassel. Soybeans are developing slowly into initial stages of reproductive growth. Some perennial rye grass is combined and much of the remainder in swath.

Disease pressure on canola appears average based on the incidence levels of sclerotinia being reported. Insect pressure is low on all crops; however, some light grasshopper activity is reported on pastures especially on lighter soils and ridges.

First cut haying operations are reaching completion in many areas. Forage quality has remained variable. Under fair harvest weather conditions, barley silage is reported to have above average yield and quality. The native hay harvest is proceeding where more accessible drier fields allow. Wet and inaccessible native hay lands remain through the Westlake area, as well as other pockets throughout the northern sectors of the region. Pastures are rated as fair to good in most areas. Dugout water levels are at 100% capacity all areas.