Northwest Region Crop Report Prepared by: Manitoba Agriculture
July 14, 2020 |

Northwest Region

There was precipitation throughout the entire region last week along with temperatures nearing 30°C. Rainfall amounts were 27mm through Swan River, 43 mm around Dauphin and The Pas, 22mm at Fork River and Inglis with amounts in the mid-teens for the balance of the region. There is water pooling in low-lying areas and crop damage is evident where soils are saturated. There are reports of hail damage east of Roblin as well as in the southwest part of the Swan Valley. Soil moisture is adequate to surplus.

Spring cereals in the region are 90% in the heading/flowering growth stage. Cereals are generally in good condition although weed control has been a challenge. Winter wheat and fall rye are heading/flowering; winter wheat is in fair to good condition while fall rye is in excellent condition.

Hot weather and rainfall has advanced the canola this past week with 80 to 90% of the crop flowering. The staginess of canola continues within the region and, in many cases, within the same field. The canola crop condition ranges from poor to good; the crop is in somewhat better condition on the south end of the region. The soybean crop is flowering; 30% of the crop is still in the vegetative stage and is in good to fair condition. Flax and peas are in good condition. The peas are flowering with the earlier seeded fields starting pod.

Bertha armyworm monitoring is underway with highest numbers of moths in traps in Bowsman (283), Grandview (217 and 117), and Swan Valley (103) areas. These numbers are still in the “low risk” category but some are nearing the “uncertain risk” category of 300.

First cut beef hay harvest is underway, but putting up dry hay continues to remain a challenge with unstable weather. Quality is impacted where swaths have been rained on and yields across the region will be below normal. The later harvesting will also have a negative effect on second cut yields, particularly for producers that normally cut alfalfa crops before the August 15th critical fall harvest period. More progress occurred where producers put up alfalfa as baled or chopped silage. Alfalfa silage is reported as yielding approximately 65% of normal. Pasture conditions range from poor to good depending on rainfall amounts, the turnout date and how they were grazed last fall. Reports of armyworms and grasshoppers defoliating grasses in forage stands, with the latter having high enough populations to warrant spraying. Some producers also harvesting ditch hay to reduce upcoming winter feed supply shortages. Dugout levels are adequate.