Manitoba Agriculture says harvest completion across all regions of the province has reached 30%, slightly ahead of the four-year average of 26% for the fourth week of August.
Significant rains brought a month’s worth of moisture to nearly all parts of agro-Manitoba; however, it was too late for cereals, canola, and flax. Some soybean, potato, corn, and sunflower crops could benefit from additional seed fill/weight gain.
Large areas of Manitoba received over 25% of normal growing season precipitation in a single week, leaving some districts still less than the 30-year normal, while others crept above 100% normal rainfall, despite having decreased yield outlook due to untimely rainfall events and distribution.
Most farmers in central, eastern, and Interlake regions will resume field harvest operations by the weekend, and it may take to early next week to resume in the southwest and northwest regions.
Repeated rains will contribute to quality downgrading in much of the unharvested cereal crop left in Manitoba.
Soil sampling has started; early reports are indicating much higher levels of residual nitrates, over a greater number of fields. Fertilizer applied for 2022 is expected to decrease in response.
Farmers continue to make greenfeed and determine end use for damaged and drought-affected grain crops.
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