ST. PAUL – On average, fall harvest is looking good for farmers in the area thanks to warm and dry harvest conditions.
Chairman of the County of St. Paul’s Agricultural Services Board Darrell Younghans, who is also a councillor for Division 1, told Lakeland This Week last week that harvest weather has been “really good so far.”
Throughout the County, farmers on average have harvested 50 to 60 per cent of their crops, added Younghans.
So far, the yields and quality of crops that have been harvested are better than expected, compared to last year, said Younghans.
“Harvest-wise, this is a pretty normal occurrence,” he said, explaining that in the last 10 years - particularly in the past five years - producers have faced challenging moisture conditions during harvest.
“It’s nice to see these drier conditions that we’re having this year.”
Asked if there are any challenges or concerns raised by farmers or producers, Younghans said among the biggest issues is the ever-increasing input costs. He says input costs keep outpacing the prices of commodities.
Federal government policies are also big issues for producers. For example, “Carbon tax is a killer,” said Younghans. He also criticized the federal government’s target of lowering fertilizer greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Crop report
According to the Sept. 19 Alberta Crop Report, which is released by the Government of Alberta weekly, “Across the province, all regions reported that favourable weather conditions had allowed harvest to progress significantly over the last week. Harvest progress of major crops is reported as 65 per cent completed, progressing 21 per cent since last week’s report.”
In the South region, reports indicate that harvest of pulses and spring cereals are at or nearly wrapped up. The oilseed harvests remain a priority, with farmers also focusing on seeding fall crops and post-harvest weed control.
“The Central, North East, North West, and Peace regions report that pulse harvests are near completion with the majority of harvest efforts focused on the spring cereal crops. While canola crops in these regions are being harvested where the crop is ready, significant portions of the canola crop are reported as still drying in swaths,” reads the report.
Looking specifically at the northeast region, “All areas reported that this week’s weather allowed for significant harvest progress.”
“Reports suggest that cooler weather and shorter days are limiting pasture growth,” and, “Sub-surface (below 6”) moisture is rated as good-to-excellent for 47 per cent of the region.”
