Farmscape for July 21, 2023

Saskatchewan Agriculture reports warm dry conditions across the province are helping advance crop development quickly and about a third of the crops are ahead of the normal stages of development.
Saskatchewan Agriculture released its weekly crop report yesterday.
Mackenzie Hladun, a crop extension specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, says the warm dry weather has moved crops forward quickly but topsoil moisture is diminishing.

Quote-Mackenzie Hladun-Saskatchewan Agriculture:
Pockets of moisture moved through the province this past week.
The most rain that was received this week was reported near the Old Wives area, with 33 millimeters being reported.
Trace amounts of moisture were reported across much of the province, while some areas received little to no rain.
The warm weather caused another decrease in topsoil moisture this week which means our topsoil moisture overall is decreasing.
Cropland topsoil moisture is 15 per cent adequate, 57 per cent short and 28 per cent very short. Hay and pastureland topsoil moisture is 12 per cent adequate, 50 per cent short and 38 per cent very short.
The drought conditions in the southwest and west-central regions were not abated by the trace amounts of moisture that they received or the localized thundershowers throughout the area.
When we look at our crop development in Saskatchewan we see that sixty-one per cent of fall cereals are at normal stages of development for this time of year, while 35 per cent are ahead.
Fifty-five per cent of spring cereals are at normal stages of development, while 37 per cent are ahead.
Oilseeds are 58 per cent at normal stages of development while 33 per cent are ahead.
Pulses have advanced slightly this week compared to the previous week and are now 35 per cent ahead of normal stages of development for this time of year, while 61 per cent are at normal stages.

Hladun says crop damage this past week was mostly due to those dry conditions we're seeing in some areas and also grasshoppers but there have been very few reports of diseases and she encourages producers to look at economic thresholds when scouting for grasshoppers.
She notes dry conditions can be stressful for producers and she reminds them to take safety precautions, including the Farm Stress Line which is available toll free at 1-800-667-4442.
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Bruce Cochrane.

       *Farmscape is produced on behalf of North America’s pork producers