Manitoba Agriculture Crop Report

Southwest Region
 

Isolated showers over the past week brought 10 to 20 mm of rain to some areas of the Southwest Region. Some hail storms were reported in the Oakburn and Menzie areas with some severe crop damage. There were also reports of some heavier rainfall events in the Deloraine area.

 

Winter wheat and fall rye harvest is complete with average yields and good quality. Harvesting of spring cereals has begun with several producers harvesting barley and spring wheat. Yields to date for both crops are average with average quality. Oat harvest has also started, with average to above average yields and good quality. Several producers are harvesting peas with some having difficulty due to lodging of the crop. Yields are average with some areas reporting below average. Quality of the harvested pea crop is average.

 

Producers have started cutting canola; higher levels of disease are noted. Corn and sunflowers continue to develop under good growing conditions. Soybeans are in the pod filling stage and have responded well to recent rains. 
 

Some second cut hay is being done with yields looking to be average. Pastures are in good shape. Dugouts are 95% full.

 

Northwest Region
 

Scattered showers occurred in various parts of the Northwest Region over the week with approximately 10 mm in Swan River, 25 mm in The Pas and mainly clear in the Roblin area. Except for localized heavier showers, which paused operations in the Swan River and Dauphin areas, the warm weather through the balance of the week allowed for harvest operations to progress. Soil moisture conditions are generally adequate throughout the region with some fields in the Dauphin area challenged by wet soil moisture conditions. With the exception of crops in those areas impacted by too much moisture earlier in the season, most field crops throughout the region continue to mature and are in relatively good condition.

 

Crops are advancing with spring wheat harvest operations underway, with approximately 10% complete in the Roblin and Dauphin areas, and around Swan River about 30% complete. Canola continues to develop with 50% of the canola fields podding and 50% mature. Ten to 20% of the canola is swathed in the Roblin, Dauphin and Swan River areas. Field peas are also advancing with most fields at maturity and harvest operations reaching 90% complete. Soybeans, for the most part, are podded with 5% of the acres at R7 stage.

 

Some post-harvest fieldwork has taken place, dependant on time and weather conditions.

 

Haying continues across the region with the majority of first cut complete. Yields are average to above average with quality variable depending on amount of rain received in swath and how mature the forage was when cut. Second cut harvest is ongoing with good yields being reported. Areas in the RM of Mossey River are still struggling to put up hay due to wet field conditions. Native hay harvest across the region has also been affected with excess moisture. Cereal silage yields are excellent with chopping near completion for the eastern side of region. Pastures are in good condition.

 

Central Region
 

Warm temperatures through the week allowed for continued good crop growth in the Central Region. The majority of the region saw some rain and thundershowers, with precipitation amounts ranging from 5 to 25 mm, and up to 50 mm. Hail was reported in the Notre Dame area. High humidity continues to limit drying conditions, increasing potential for disease infections in crops, and interfering with harvest and haying operations. Field access continues to be an issue, particularly on dirt roads, and field activity has been limited by poor conditions. Significant ruts are being made by swathers and combines. Producers in areas of excessive moisture are looking at track kits and rear wheel assist kits for their combines. Harvest is slow, as moisture levels in the grain remain high. Swath and pre-harvest timing is difficult due to staginess of crops.

 

Fall rye and winter wheat harvest is generally complete. Yields reported range from 65 to 100 bu/acre, with averages in the 75 to 85 bu/acre range. Protein reports to date are in the 11 to 11.5% range. Spring cereal crops are maturing and pre-harvest applications continue. Hard red spring wheat yields range from 40 to 75 bu/acre to date, and varieties belonging to the Canada Prairie Spring wheat class have reported yields up to 90 bu/acre. Protein is variable, with early reports of 12.5 to 15%; fusarium levels are also variable. Barley yields are in the 70 to 85 bu/acre range; some has made malt, but reports of higher fusarium levels in most fields are a concern. Oats are being swathed, with some acres harvested; early yield reports of 140 to 175 bu/acre.

 

Swathing of canola continues, and a few early fields have been combined; no yield reports as yet. Pre-harvest applications are taking place in fields that will be straight cut. Sclerotinia infections are becoming more evident, resulting in premature ripening. Many pea fields have dried down. Reported yields range from 15 to 40 bu/acre. Boll formation is complete in most flax field, and colour change is evident. Pre-harvest applications continue. Perennial ryegrass is being harvested with struggles related to the wet conditions and high humidity, including sprouting. No yield reports to date.

 

Corn is growing rapidly. Most fields are R4 (dough) to R5 (dent). Soybeans continue to flower and pod. Fields range from R4 to R5.5; with many closing in on R6. Cutting has started in the most advanced edible beans. Fields are stressed due to excessive rainfall. There are reports of white mould showing up in fields where canopy is dense. Bacterial blight is evident in many fields. Sunflowers are flowering and as advanced as the R7 stage. Potato harvest continues.

 

Good growth of forages continues, as does second cut. Yield is surpassing much of the first cut in both quantity and quality. High humidity is an issue for drying of swaths. Many producers are wrapping bales. Greenfeed and cereals are being cut for silage with good results. First cut wild hay continues. Forage growth on pastures is slowing, but growth and supply is generally adequate, dependent on stocking rates. Livestock water supply is adequate.

 

Eastern Region
 

Rainfall accumulations last week in the Eastern Region ranged from 15 to greater than 50 mm. Higher accumulations were associated with some areas experiencing severe downpours associated with thunderstorms. As well, some level of rainfall tended to occur most days during the past week which delayed field operations from time to time, particularly harvest. Areas with higher accumulations also noted the presence of some temporary standing water and challenges with field access. Temperatures ranged from seasonal to hot and humidity levels remained high. Producers are looking for the weather to transition to consistently warm and sunny so they can continue to harvest spring cereals.

 

Winter wheat harvest is complete in the Eastern Region with yields ranging from 60 to 95 bu/acre with an average yield of approximately 75 bu/acre. Protein levels appear to often be at 11% or higher. Fusarium damaged kernel levels have been lower than expected. Spring cereals ranged from physiologically mature to kernel moistures suitable for harvesting. Pre-harvest applications in spring wheat are complete. Harvesting of spring wheat is about 15% complete. Yields range from 50 to 75 bu/acre with an average yield of 60 bu/acre. Quality is good with much of the crop being graded as a #2 so far. Fusarium damaged kernel levels are lower than expected. Protein levels vary.

 

Canola is mature with pre-harvest applications or swathing completed on all but the later seeded acres. Field pea harvest is ongoing. The soybean crop ranges from mid to late R5 (seed fill) to R6 (full seed) growth stages. Reports of soybeans displaying potassium deficiency symptoms, phytophthora wilt and sclerotinia continued last week. Sunflowers are in the R6 (end of flowering/seed filling stages) growth stages. Corn is at R3 (milk stage).

 

Across the region, the majority of pastureland is in good condition. Availability of livestock water is adequate. Winter feed supplies are rated as 20% surplus and 80% adequate for hay and 100% adequate for straw, greenfeed and feed grains.

 

Interlake Region
 

Scattered showers were experienced in the Interlake Region this past week which slowed harvest progress. Most areas of the region received trace amounts ranging from 5 to 10 mm of precipitation but the Selkirk region received up to 30 to 45 mm. Warm temperatures and favourable winds allowed some producers to continue harvesting throughout the week and over the weekend.

 

Harvest progress in the Interlake Region is estimated to be 5 to 10% complete. Winter wheat and fall rye has been harvested in the region. Spring cereals continue to be swathed or pre-harvested. Spring wheat yields are ranging from 45 to 65 bu/acre with good quality. Oat fields are yielding 90 to 120 bu/acre with some fields going as high as 150 bu/acre. Some canola fields have been harvested but no reports on yields to date; swathing is still ongoing as crops reach proper cutting stage. Soybeans continue to fill pods and flower. Corn fields vary in development, with the most advanced acres at the milk stage. Majority of all forage grass seed fields have been harvested. Alfalfa seed fields are looking good; with the leaf cutter bees soon coming to an end in their life cycle producers will be removing bee nests from the fields.

 

Haying continues with the challenges of intermittent rainfall. Greenfeed silage has started with yields being better than expected. Pasture conditions have been average with the recent rainfall and warm temperatures promoting regrowth.