Census Division 12 – Biggar, Delisle, Rosetown and Sonningdale areas
Census Division 13 – Cut Knife, Kerrobert, Kindersley, Macklin, Plenty and Wilkie areas
For the Period July 16 to 22, 2024
The region continues to experience hot and dry conditions which has quickened crop development and deteriorated crop conditions, especially in areas where lower amounts of precipitation have been received. Producers are hoping for rain soon to help lessen the impact of the heat on their crop yields, aid hayland regrowth and improve their pasture lands currently supporting livestock.
There were some rain showers this past week, but they were not enough to give large relief to suffering crops through the heat. The largest rainfall that was reported was 20 mm in the Macklin area and 11 mm in the Luseland area; the rest of the region got little to no rain. Producers are hopeful more rain will be on the way soon to help improve topsoil moisture and help seed filling.
Topsoil moisture conditions for cropland are rated as 63 per cent adequate and 37 per cent short. Hayland is rated as 67 per cent adequate and 33 per cent short, while pasture is rated as 65 per cent adequate and 35 per cent short. Crops and pastures in the region will need rain soon or they will see a sharp decline in their condition.
Currently crop conditions are rated as fair to good with the majority rated as good. The west central has the highest percentage of crops rated as excellent as well; this is due to the moisture received in the spring and the rapid growth seen over the past few weeks. If the heat and dry conditions continue crops will rapidly decline in condition.
Haying operations are moving along slowly in the region due to high humidity but 28 per cent of the crop is now cut and 58 per cent is baled and put up as silage. Hay quality remains good with 14 per cent rated as excellent, 76 per cent rated as good and 10 per cent fair. Producers will be quickly finishing up haying as harvest is only a few short weeks away.
Heat and dry conditions were the two largest factors for crop damage this week, followed by gophers and grasshoppers who continue to feed on crops. Aphids are also still being reported across the region and producers have been busy monitoring their populations and assessing if they have passed actionable thresholds.
For more information about West-Central Saskatchewan, explore the Crop Report Dashboard.