Alberta Crop Report as of October 17, 2023: Final Report of 2023

Crop Report, provided by the Government of Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, as of October 17, 2023:

This will be the last crop report of 2023. Warm weather across the province has continued to allow for a rapid harvest pace and this report indicates that harvest is mostly complete for the majority of crops, with 99 per cent of all crops in the province reported as harvested. This harvest progress remains well ahead of the provincial 5-year average of 82 per cent and the 10-year average of 87 per cent for this time of year. Rapid progress was reported in the harvest of both oats and canola over the past week, with provincial progress jumping 8 and 10 per cent respectively. This rapid progress was mainly driven by the North East region where oat harvest progressed 4 per cent and canola harvest progressed 12 per cent, and by the North West where oat harvest progressed 18 per cent and canola harvest progressed 21 per cent.

This report also indicates continued improvement in dryland provincial yield estimates for the major crops. Provincial major crops yields are estimated at 95.7 per cent of the five-year average, an improvement of 2.1 per cent over the last estimate reported on October 3, 2023. Provincial yield estimates in bushels per acre by major crop (change from last estimate in brackets) are reported this week as 43.4 (+0.9) for spring wheat, 61.4 (+0.7) for barley, 82 (+0.4) for oats, 37.4 (+1.3) for canola and 35.2 (+0.6) for dry peas.

Crop quality estimates are also updated in this report, with minor changes since last reported on October 3, 2023. Hard red spring wheat is estimated at 65.9 per cent grade #1 C.W., a 2.5 per cent increase; barley is estimated at 26.2 per cent Malt, a 0.7 per cent decrease; oats are estimated at 43.3 per cent #1 C.W., a 1.6 per cent increase; canola is estimated at 81.6 per cent #1 Can., a 0.5 per cent decrease; and dry peas are estimated at 17.6 per cent #1 Can., a 0.3 per cent decrease. Warm conditions continue to impact the soil moisture ratings across the province. Provincial surface soil moisture rated goodto-excellent is at 30 per cent, a decrease of 4 per cent since the last report. Regional surface soil good-to-excellent moisture ratings (weekly change in brackets) are at 7 per cent (2 per cent decrease) in the South, 19 per cent (2 per cent decrease) in Central, 37 per cent (13 per cent decrease) in the North East, 75 per cent (7 per cent decrease) in the North West and 67 per cent (5 per cent increase) in the Peace.

Provincial sub-surface good-to-excellent moisture is rated at 30 per cent, a 2 per cent decrease from the last report. Regional sub-surface soil good-to-excellent moisture ratings (weekly change in brackets) are at 7 per cent (unchanged) in the South, 18 per cent (3 per cent decrease) in Central, 41 per cent (6 per cent decrease) in the North East, 73 per cent (unchanged) in the North West and 67 per cent (2 per cent increase) in the Peace. Provincial pasture ratings are mostly unchanged as pasture rated good-to-excellent is reported at 18 per cent, a 1 per cent increase over the last report. Provincial fall seeded crop rated good-to-excellent is reported at 45 per cent, a 3 per cent decrease from the last report.

Region Five: Peace (Fairview, Falher, Grande Prairie, Valleyview)

• Harvest is effectively complete in all areas, with the last remaining fields of oats expected to be harvested soon.
• Sub-surface moisture is rated as 9 per cent poor, 24 per cent fair, 38 per cent good, 29 per cent excellent, and 0 per cent excessive.

To read the full report on all regions head to their website: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/2830245