Northwest Region Crop Report Prepared by: Manitoba Agriculture
August 18, 2020 |

Northwest Region
Temperatures hovered near 30°C throughout the week, which continued to advance the crop in the Northwest region. The weekend brought wind and thundershowers.

Soil moisture is adequate for the most part, although there are some very dry areas in the south east of the region that missed the rain showers.

There have not been significant harvest operations in the Northwest last week other than an initial start to field peas. Spring wheat and cereals are mostly in the dough stage with some earlier seeded fields in the firm dough stage. Barley is turning and is very close to harvest condition in the southern part of the region. Winter wheat and fall rye are ripening and are very close to maturity, with some green tillers.

The canola crop is podded with the earlier seeded fields starting to turn colour and the latest seeded fields almost through flowering. Some fields around Russell are further advanced. Soybeans are at about R3 stage and pods are filling. Field peas are podded and the crop is ripening. Desiccation of field peas is taking place as conditions allow and correct staging is reached. There has been a start to field pea harvest around Swan River with about 3% of the crop harvested. Peas are further advanced around Roblin and more progress is has been made with about 50% of the peas combined. The flax crop is in the boll development stage.

Last weeks showers benefitted pastures and second-cut alfalfa-hay fields. Second cut alfalfa-hay growth looks good but producers should wait until after a killing frost to harvest/graze to respect the critical fall harvest period and not to risk winter survival. Cereal silage harvest is ongoing with average yields and baling of pea straw starting this week. Pastures are in poor to good condition depending on management and stocking density. Water levels are rated low to sufficient. Grasshoppers are still a concern in Ethelbert and west of Gilbert Plains. A feed shortage is anticipated in some areas of the region and producers are sourcing straw and other feeds to supplement hay.