Warm weather and timely rains helped produce healthy and typical crops in the Stettler region this year, but all the results weren’t positive.
“We had close to ideal moisture this spring and that led to excellent crop establishment,” said Harry Brook, the crop specialist for Alberta Agriculture and Food at the Agricultural Information Centre in Stettler.
“Basically, it ended up with an average yield.”
Producers had projected prosperous crops, though disease, hail and wind hindered the growth somewhat, Brook said.
“Expectations were for a bumper crop, but disease took a real big hit out of it.”
Most producers had a profitable year, but not as high as expected, Brook said.
“To sum it up, it’s disappointing.”
Several hail and windstorms also damaged crops during the past year.
“We had a lot of hail, probably the worst hail year in 10 years,” Brook said.
Locally and across much of Alberta, the weather for growing and harvest was perfect for producers.
“You couldn’t have asked for a better harvest season, with almost ideal harvest weather in September,” Brook said.
Strong winds in September, however, also levelled or damaged swathed canola crops.
Barley and canola crops were hit the hardest and some producers lost 30 to 40 per cent of crop from the Aster yellows disease.
On the other hand, wheat was above-average and seemed to fare the best, said Brook, noting it produced “a lot” of light-bushel-weight barley.
“But it may be hard to find a place for producers to sell it, or it might be discounted.”
As the prime buyer of that crop, feedlots want heavy-bushel-weight barley, Brook said.
To set a good foundation for a productive crop next year, he said plenty of wet snow would be welcomed.
“Subsoil moisture conditions are pretty dry here and over most of the province,” Brook said.
“Some snow would be good to recharge some the subsoil moisture and surface-water supplies with spring runoff.”
Forecasts for weather and soil moisture are available on the website of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Agency.