Timely rains in June have brought some much-needed relief to Alberta’s crop producers, particularly in the Central, parts of the Southern, and North West regions. While conditions have improved significantly in recent weeks, it’s a mixed bag across the province — and farmers in the Peace Region are still waiting for a true turnaround.
As of June 30, provincial crop conditions are sitting at 61% good to excellent. That’s a full 11-point jump from mid-June, though still trailing the 5- and 10-year averages by 8 and 6 points, respectively. Spring cereals are ahead of schedule, with most regions reporting progress that surpasses typical benchmarks. In the South, cereals are already heading out, while Central and North West areas are mostly at the boot stage. Broadleaf crops like canola, dry peas, lentils, and mustard are flowering earlier than normal across the board — a positive sign, but one that hinges on moisture availability through the critical reproductive stages.
Surface moisture conditions reflect the regional variability. Central Alberta stands out with 82% rated good to excellent — a rare instance of exceeding the 5-year average. In contrast, the Peace Region is facing a serious deficit, with surface moisture at just 31%, less than half of its historical norm. The South is also struggling with only 40% rated good to excellent, and the North East has dropped to 59%, well below average.
First-cut hay is progressing steadily. About 19% of dryland hay has been baled province-wide — ahead of the 5-year average — although yield and quality vary. Dryland hay yield is estimated at 1.3 tons/acre (slightly below average), while irrigated fields are yielding a strong 2.5 tons/acre with high quality ratings. Pasture conditions, too, are showing signs of recovery, with 48% now rated good to excellent, up from 41% last week. The Central Region again leads here, with 66% of pastures in good shape.