Saskatchewan farmers have started seeding their 2019 crop.
The Ministry of Agriculture’s first official crop report of the year said producers have indicated that seeding will begin in the coming weeks.
Crops Extension Specialist Corey Jacob said for most areas seeding is just getting started.
“Across the province we have 5 per cent seeded as a whole with the bulk of the activity in the southwest part of the province and there is some reported activity in the south east, east central and west central parts of the province,” Jacob said.
In the northeast, producers are in a better situation compared to other areas when it comes to the condition of the fields.
“Moisture conditions are showing about adequate but it may be a bit higher than that in the area. They’re doing quite well.” Jacob said. “There were reports of a bit of seeding in the north east as well but that would be a very minor amount. Maybe some farmers are going out there and trying their first field. Definitely a fair bit of other activity, tillage, harrowing, rock picking, for example, that was going on as well.”
Any moisture this spring in the form of rain or snow may have delayed seeding but was good news for the farming community.
Much of the southern and western regions received a combination of snowfall and rain this past week, with 73 mm reported in the Shaunavon area. Cropland topsoil is rated as one per cent surplus, 62 per cent adequate, 30 per cent short and seven per cent very short.
“Absolutely, it was very, very much needed,” Jacob said. “The snow did improve the moisture conditions. The majority of that precipitation fell in the southwest part of the province, maybe a bit farther east, but it was very much welcomed.”
Topsoil moisture on hay land and pasture is rated as one per cent surplus, 58 per cent adequate, 32 per cent short and nine per cent very short. That precipitation created some challenging calving conditions for livestock producers.
–
alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca
On Twitter: @AliceMcF
