WINNIPEG (Dow Jones) — Agricultural operations in Alberta were off to a slow start in all regions of the province, according to the crop report for the week ended May 3 from Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, or AFSC.
Abundant snowfall this past winter, cool temperatures in March and April and several precipitation events this spring have resulted in a slow snow melt and delayed soil dry-down and warming.
Excessive moisture was a problem in most regions with 17{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} of the province rating surface soil moisture as excessive. Currently, less than 0.10{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} of the province (fewer than 18,000 acres) has been seeded as compared to the historical five-year average of 15{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0}.
Surface soil moisture was very good with over 77{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} of the province rated as good/excellent, the report said. This should provide crops with the opportunity for an excellent start once producers can access their fields and commence seeding operations. Surface moisture in the top 6 inches was rated 0.3{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} poor/5.5{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} fair/26.7{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} good/50.4{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} excellent/17.1{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} excessive.
Hay and pasture growth has been slow due to the cool spring conditions. With good available moisture, forage crops should flourish under warmer temperatures. Forage crops were rated 18{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} poor/28{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} fair/48{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} good/6{fd15d42d1b024b97d6d50958be27cc8145b6addb99e015780abccf2984117bb0} excellent.
The AFSC is a provincial crown corporation with a private-sector board of directors that provides farmers, agribusinesses and other small businesses loans, crop insurance and farm-income disaster assistance.
Source: Dow Jones
Posted by Haylie Shipp
