CROP REPORT FOR THE PERIOD SEP. 1–7, 2009

Just over 18 per cent of the 2009 crop has been combined, up from eight per cent last week, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture's weekly Crop Report. An additional 19 per cent is swathed and six per cent is ready to straight combine.

The five-year average (2004-2008) is 33 per cent harvested.

Warm and dry weather during the week allowed farmers to harvest 65 per cent of the lentils, 68 per cent of the peas, 75 per cent of the winter wheat, 77 per cent of the fall rye and 30 per cent of the mustard. Forty-seven per cent of the canola is swathed and five per cent is combined. The south west region has 43 per cent of the 2009 crop combined. The northern regions have approximately five per cent of the 2009 crop combined.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 70 per cent adequate, 22 per cent short and seven per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are reported as 58 per cent adequate, 31 per cent short and 11 per cent very short.

Grasshoppers, wind, sawfly and dry conditions caused the majority of crop damage. Grasshoppers are feeding on canola and mustard pods in some areas. Farmers are swathing more of their crops this year to try and deal with variable maturity and sawfly damage.

Farmers are busy combining, swathing, desiccating, hauling grain and preparing for fall seeding. Farmers are also waiting for some crops to mature. A sunny, dry and frost-free weather forecast is needed for the next few weeks to move the crop from the fields to the bins.

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For more information, contact:

Grant Mclean
Agriculture
Moose Jaw
Phone: 306-694-3592
Email: grant.mclean@gov.sk.ca