OUTLOOK - Producers were very grateful for some rain in the region this past week as warm and dry conditions continue and hope more will come soon, according to the crop report for the period of June 28 to July 3.
Scattered showers moved through the region this week, with trace amounts and up to 34 mm being recorded in the Hague area. Topsoil moisture levels are diminishing in cropland and are limited in hay and pasture land. Forty-six per cent of cropland is adequate for soil moisture, 38 per cent is short and 16 per cent is very short. Hay and pasture land is more limited with 27 per cent rated as adequate, 49 per cent short and 24 per cent very short.
Fall cereals are at diverse stages throughout the region. Seven per cent are tillering, 19 per cent jointed, 19 per cent at the shot blade stage and 19 per cent heading, while 38 per cent are in the dough stage. Spring cereals are either shot blade at 37 per cent or heading at 54 per cent. The majority of flax is in stem elongation stages. Canola is primarily flowering at 68 per cent and pulses are either flowering at 45 per cent or podded at 40 per cent.
Only 36 per cent of hay is left standing for the first cut this year; 33 per cent is cut and 31 per cent is baled or silaged for the year. Hay is of good to fair quality for the first cut. Pastures range from good to poor condition, overall, 47 per cent are in fair condition.
Crop damage in the west-central this past week was caused by grasshoppers and heat stress. Producers are busy haying and spraying fungicides and insecticides.
