Northwest Region Crop Report Prepared by: Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO Teams & Crops Knowledge Centre August 26, 2013 |

Northwest Region

Above seasonal daytime temperatures, higher humidity levels and moderate winds prevailed across the Northwest Region. Friday night saw a few isolated, unstable weather conditions with stronger winds; minimal precipitation amounts ended the week.

Crops are maturing and cereal crops are ripening rapidly. Overall crop conditions remain rated at 85% good to fair. Due to early season excess moisture impacts, the remaining 15% is rated as fair to poor. Lower yield potentials exist at The Pas, Ethelbert and Fork River sectors. Preharvest herbicide treatments are underway.

Winter cereals harvest is 40% complete with initial yields reported to be average. In spring wheat, 55% of acres are at dough stage with 40% mature and 5% combined. Initial spring wheat yields are reported from 60 to 65 bu/acre. Sixty percent of the barley and oats acres are into dough stages of development and 20% is mature. In canola, 30% of acres are mature and 5% is swathed. Soybeans and corn is responding favourably to the higher temperatures and mostly adequate moisture.

The native hay harvest continues as more fields are drying; yields are average to below. Currently, supplies of hay and greenfeed are expected to be approximately 25% short at The Pas and other moisture impacted sectors. Non-forage plant succession is widely evident in native hay lands and fields through the Westlake area where prolonged and frequent flooding, wet and inaccessible conditions have prevailed. Pastures are drying with poor areas beginning to exist. Dugout water levels are adequate in all areas.