Newly emerged canola seedlings on a farm in northeast Saskatchewan. (Alice McFarlane/farmnewsNOW Staff)

By Alice McFarlane

Crop Report 2020

Farmers move a step closer to finishing seeding

May 28, 2020 | 3:05 PM

Good weather has helped Saskatchewan farmers make good progress when it comes to getting the crops in.

The Ministry of Agriculture crop report for the week of May 19 said seeding is 80 per cent complete in the province, compared with the five-year average of 78 per cent for this time of year.

Ministry of Agriculture crop specialist Sara Tetland said some of the earliest seeded crops are starting to come up, but cool overnight temperatures have slowed growth in some areas.

“The strong winds dried up the topsoil moisture. Smaller seeded crops that are seeded shallow like canola, there has been some delayed emergence because of the dry conditions but most of the other crops are on track,” she said.

Those same winds may have caused some problems for new seedlings.

MLAs clash over foreign ownership of Saskatchewan farmland

Nov 10, 2025

Outstanding community members

'We all loved him': respected Prince Albert broadcaster passes away

Oct 09, 2025

Nearing the end of harvest

Meals in the field and hats in combines: a look into end of harvest traditions

Oct 09, 2025

“Reports from farmers haven’t indicated they plan on reseeding. A lot of the plants are quite small, but they are expecting the damage is minimal and will be able to bounce back,” she said.

The next concern for farmers is the first flush of weeds. Farmers are starting post-emergence weed control in earlier seeded fields that could not be sprayed due to the wind.

Nokomis area farmer Brett Halstead said it hasn’t been a problem in his area because it started out dry this spring.

“They’re getting a little bigger as we get into the later seeded fields, but it’s been an average kind of pressure. I wouldn’t say fields are super dirty. It probably comes from a lack of moisture early this spring,” Halstead said.

The southwest region is nearing the end of seeding at 92 per cent followed by 84 per cent in the southeast and 80 per cent in west central.

The northwest reported 75 per cent of the crop has been seeded. The northeast is 73 per cent seeded, a big jump from 26 per cent in the last crop report.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 78 per cent adequate while hay and pastureland topsoil moisture is 71 per cent.

–

alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF