Farmers Push Ahead as Seeding Progress Surges Past 5-Year Average

Thanks to warm and dry conditions across much of the province, Alberta farmers made major headway last week in getting this year’s crop in the ground. As of the latest report, 47% of major crops have been seeded—well ahead of the five-year average of 26% for this time of year.

While some areas in the Central, North East, and North West regions saw seeding temporarily paused by rain late in the week, other regions—especially the South and Peace—continued working with minimal weather-related delays. Seeding progress is ahead of both 5- and 10-year averages in every region of the province.

Crops Emerging Fast

Emergence is also ahead of schedule, with 10% of major crops already poking through. That’s more than triple the five-year average of 3%. Regionally, the Central Region leads with 19% emergence, followed by the South at 15%. Other regions are seeing slower—but steady—emergence rates as soil warms and moisture conditions improve.

Surface Moisture Holding Steady

Recent rains helped bump up surface soil moisture in key parts of the province, especially in the Central and North East. Overall, 59% of surface soils are rated good-to-excellent—just shy of the historical norm. Central Alberta saw the biggest jump, up 20 percentage points from the week before, while the Peace region saw a notable drop of 11 points.

Sub-surface moisture is also seeing improvements in some areas. Province-wide, 53% of sub-surface soil is rated good-to-excellent, a few points below the average. Central Alberta now leads in sub-surface conditions, with 65% of soil rated good or excellent.

Pasture and Hay Conditions Improving

Pasture growth across the province is tracking ahead of seasonal norms, with 59% of pasture land rated in good-to-excellent condition. Central Alberta saw the most improvement over the past week, up 10 percentage points. The North West and Peace regions also reported better conditions. In contrast, pasture conditions in the South and North East slipped slightly.

The story is similar for tame hay. Provincially, 59% is rated good-to-excellent—well above the 5-year average of 44%. Central and North West Alberta are seeing the best hay growth, while the South and North East remain more variable.