Southern Alberta crops fairing far better than five-year average

Sep 1, 2020 | 11:12 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – While it has not been a perfect year for some farmers in the region, many are likely to be happy with how 2020’s crops are turning out.

According to the latest Alberta Crop Report from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry dated August 25, about 86.6 per cent of all crops in the south region are rated “good-to-excellent”.

The provincial average is 76.4 per cent.

The big difference is how this year compares to the farming seasons of years past.

Last year, only half of crops achieved the good-to-excellent rating while the five-year average is just 46.7 per cent.

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Faring exceptionally well right now are durum wheat, lentils, and potatoes, with at least 90 per cent of those crops getting top marks from the government.

Farmers in Southern Alberta are also leading the province when it comes to the harvest.

As of August 25, 24 per cent of crops had been harvested, while the same was true for only 8.4 per cent across the province.

The biggest issue that many agricultural producers in the region are facing is surface soil moisture. Just over half of farmlands have a surface soil moisture rating of “poor/fair”.

Regional Crop Condition Ratings as of August 25, 2020. (Alberta Agriculture and Forestry)

Harvest Progress as of August 25, 2020. (Alberta Agriculture and Forestry)

Dryland Yield Estimates as of August 25, 2020. (Alberta Agriculture and Forestry)

by David Opinko