CROP REPORT FOR THE PERIOD AUGUST 25 TO 31, 2009

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

The five-year average (2004-2008) is 22 per cent harvested.

The past week was good maturing and harvesting weather allowing farmers to get winter cereals, peas and lentils in the bin. Forty-five per cent of the winter wheat, 63 per cent of the fall rye, 31 per cent of the lentils and 39 per cent of the peas have been harvested. Good progress was made in swathing of canola. Cereal harvest is most advanced in the southwest.

Crop land topsoil moisture has declined in the province and is rated as one per cent surplus, 84 per cent adequate, 12 per cent short and three per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 72 per cent adequate, 23 per cent short and five per cent very short.

Haying operations are close to being complete in the central and northern regions of the province.

Grasshoppers caused the majority of crop damage this past week. Grasshoppers are becoming a problem in harvested crops and stored grain. Sawfly has caused some damage in the southwest region. Frost was reported in an isolated area in the northwest region.

Farmers are busy combining, swathing, desiccating, cutting greenfeed, seeding winter cereals, hauling grain, scouting fields and waiting for the crops to mature. Many crop reporters are indicating two to three weeks of warm, dry harvesting weather is still needed to get the crop off in decent shape.

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For more information, contact:

Grant McLean
Agriculture
Moose Jaw
Phone: 306-694-3592