From early drought fears to strong harvest numbers, farmers navigated one of the Prairies’ most unpredictable growing seasons in recent memory.
When the province releases its first crop report of 2026 on May 8, farmers will be watching with one eye on the new season and the other on the lessons from 2025.
Last year began with speed. By early June, almost all of Alberta’s crop was seeded, ahead of both the five- and 10-year averages, and 83% had already emerged. Dry peas, spring wheat and barley led the way, while canola and oats were also ahead of normal development. But that fast start came with an early warning: soil moisture was already slipping, with surface and sub-surface moisture rated only 42% good to excellent.
By mid-June, emergence had reached 95%, far above average, but the moisture story had worsened. Surface moisture rated good to excellent had dropped to just 20%, and sub-surface moisture to 26%. Pastures and tame hay were also showing stress, especially in the Peace.
Then the season began to turn. Late June and early July rains lifted crop ratings sharply. By early July, 61% of crops were rated good to excellent, up 11 points from mid-June. Central and North West Alberta became the early bright spots, while the Peace Region remained the stubborn problem area, with only 23% of crops rated good to excellent and surface moisture at just 31%.
The July rains helped annual crops more than forages. By mid-July, 65% of major crops were rated good to excellent, with spring wheat and barley about a week ahead of normal. But pasture and hay lagged badly: only 44% of pasture and 41% of tame hay were rated good to excellent.
By August, Alberta had a crop with real yield potential — just not evenly spread. Central Alberta became the standout, with crop ratings above 90% good to excellent and yield projections 37% above the five-year average. The South also looked strong, while the Peace continued to struggle under dry conditions.
Harvest, however, did not start quickly. By Aug. 25, only a small number of major crops were in the bin, behind both the five- and 10-year averages. Still, the crop itself looked better than the calendar suggested: 64% was rated good to excellent, and soil moisture had improved substantially across much of the province.
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