Prairie Moisture Conditions Highly Variable

Apr 01, 2022

With the calendar now flipped over to April and the planting season fast approaching, moisture conditions across Western Canada are distinctly different.

As the map here shows, 90-day precipitation over a large portion of Alberta and into western Saskatchewan has totaled well below normal – the same general area that has been dealing with abnormal dryness and drought for about the past five years. On the other hand, the northern and some eastern parts of the Prairies have received above normal precipitation, so much so that producers are facing the likelihood of spring planting delays.

The latest monthly Canadian Agricultural Weather Prognosticator from World Weather Inc. said snow depths on the northern fringe of the Prairies and in parts of Manitoba are great enough to delay spring fieldwork simply because of the time needed to melt the snow and dry out the soil. Meanwhile, the potential remains high for additional precipitation in the wetter areas, it said.

As for the drier Prairie areas, the Prognosticator said generally better precipitation is still expected in 2022 following last year’s devastating drought. Some of the worst-hit areas in the southwestern Prairies may not see more frequent rainfall until summer, but there still should be enough spring showers to support germination, emergence and establishment, it said.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.