Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has issued its latest crop report with conditions to July 19. This is an abbreviated version; click here for the full report and tables by region.
With significant rains across the province, particularly in the South and Central Regions over the past two weeks, most of the agricultural lands in Alberta have seen at least near-normal amounts of precipitation to date.
Provincially, crop growing conditions improved by two per cent from last week to 83 per cent good to excellent, compared with the 5-year average (2011-2015) of 71 per cent.
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About 83 per cent of spring wheat, 81 per cent of barley, 91 per cent of oats, 83 per cent of canola and 80 per cent of dry peas are in good to excellent condition. In terms of crop development, most cereals across the province are in the flowering stage.
Due to recent rainfall, surface and subsurface soil moisture ratings across the province improved by six and five per cent from a week ago, respectively. Provincially, surface soil moisture was rated at 87 per cent good to excellent and two per cent excessive. This compares to 30 per cent good to excellent a year ago, with no excessive and the 5-year average of 69 per cent good to excellent with two per cent excessive.
Subsurface soil moisture conditions across the province are now rated as 80 per cent good to excellent with almost one per cent excessive, compared with 22 per cent good to excellent last year with no excessive and the 5-year average of 68 per cent good to excellent with one per cent excellent.
