The latest Manitoba crop report is out.
Northwest
Wet conditions early in the week slowed harvest progress in some areas. Warmer temperatures through the week improved field conditions, allowing progress, particularly in areas that received less precipitation. Unsettled weather returned to the region late in the weekend, with heavy rainfall in some areas again slowing harvest progress. As harvest slowly progresses, many challenges from the season still exist due to infrastructure damage from spring flooding. While major roads have been repaired, there are still roads that are washed out and fields with washouts and cuts. Fall rye and winter wheat harvest continues and is approximately 95% complete. Majority of the field pea crop has moved into R7, and harvest continues where crops have reached maturity. Approximately 50% of the crop is harvested. Reported yields have been mixed, ranging from below average to average. Spring wheat is mostly in the hard dough stage with some later seeded fields behind. Pre-harvest glyphosate applications continue as stages are reached. Approximately 20% of the spring wheat is harvested. Canola fields continue to range in terms of stages, with most of the crop nearing harvest maturity. Desiccation and swathing is underway in fields that have reached the appropriate stage. Fields that experienced excess moisture have patches of delayed growth that are still flowering. A small start to canola harvest has begun in some early seeded fields. Majority of the soybean crop is in the R6-R7 stage and looking good where excess moisture hasn’t delayed growth.
Southwest
There was a good start to the week, as most producers started harvesting and grain was dry by Saturday. Heavy rains on Sunday in the early afternoon put a stop to all harvesting, as most areas received rain, with some areas reporting hail. Several areas received over 2 inches of rain. There are now a lot of lodged crops, making harvest even more difficult than it already was. Cereal grain quality has already started to deteriorate, with some producers reporting sprouting. There is also severe lodging in most canola crops, primarily due to a mixture of disease, heavy rains, and strong winds. Winter wheat and fall rye are about 90–95% complete, with reports of average yields and good quality. Peas are about 90–95% complete, with average yields and good quality. The remaining crop will likely be affected by the recent rains, and quality is expected to be downgraded. Spring wheat harvest is about 20–25% complete, with average to above-average yields and good quality so far. However, the recent rains are likely to change that once producers can get back into the fields. Barley is about 40% complete, with average to above-average yields. Quality has started to decline due to the recent rains, and following the latest rainfall, producers are already reporting concerns with sprouting. Canola harvest is minimal, at less than 10% complete. Reports indicate average yields and good quality so far. Several fields are being swathed, mostly because of severe lodging caused by disease. Several fields are also being sprayed. Soybeans are in the late R6 to early R7 stage. Some fields are showing changes in leaf color, with some pods starting to turn. The crop is taking advantage of the recent moisture. Corn and sunflowers continue to develop as the crops take advantage of the moisture and good growing conditions. Cereal silage is pretty much complete, and some corn silage has begun.
(Manitoba Agriculture news release)
