Prairie farmers have always farmed in a risky climate, dealing with drought, hail, excessive moisture and early frost, to name just a few challenges.

But researchers say the nature of that risk is beginning to change, as shifting global weather patterns reshape prairie growing conditions.

Winters are warmer, snow is melting earlier and, in some areas, snowmelt now happens weeks earlier than it did a generation ago.

The result is a farm environment that is becoming more variable, with longer droughts, occasional flooding in unexpected places and greater swings between wet and dry years.

The outlook isn’t uniformly negative. In some regions, longer growing seasons and more heat units could boost crop potential.

And many experts say farmers are already adapting by improving soil health and water retention and creating flexibility in their cropping systems.

Still, greater climate variability, especially around drought and water supply, means farmers will need to stay informed and continue adjusting both practices and mindset to manage a more unpredictable future.

Weather shifts already underway

The most obvious effect of climate change in the Canadian Prairies is warming winters, says Dr. David Sauchyn, director of the Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative and a professor at the University of Regina.

He says while extreme cold also still occurs, it is becoming less frequent and shorter in duration.

“What has changed fairly dramatically is the frequency of really low temperatures, and especially the duration,” he says. “We still get minus 35, but not for weeks on end.”

Extreme heat isn’t new to the Prairies, he adds (the 1930s remain the benchmark), but seasonal timing is shifting. Earlier snowmelt is altering how water moves through prairie landscapes.

“The key to climate change is its impact on our water supply,” he says, adding that as these conditions continue, farmers can expect snowmelt to occur earlier in the year. “So, come the end of the summer, there’s less water available in the streams and lakes. That’s the major impact of temperature: it’s on the snowpack and the snowmelt.”

In some cases, precipitation that once fell as snow is now arriving as rain, he says.

“We expect rain in winter, which we’re already seeing.”

Hydrologist John Pomeroy says prairie warming has already surpassed global averages.

“In many parts of the Prairies, in some seasons, we passed two and a half degrees already,” he says, with snowmelt now occurring about three weeks earlier than in the mid-20th century.

“We’re getting earlier melts, but we’re also getting mid-winter melts — big ones that just weren’t common at all,” he adds. This increases spring flood risk as ice layers prevent water from soaking into frozen ground.

Rainfall isn’t rising overall, he says, but it’s more concentrated. Multi-day storms, up roughly 50 per cent since the 1950s, are driving more erosion and flooding.

“We were always prepared for spring flooding … but not expected to have flooded fields in July.”

Drought, however, remains the defining constraint, now expanding into parts of the Prairies, particularly the northern and eastern grain belt, which historically saw fewer dry periods.

“The ultimate limitation in our part of the world is drought,” says Sauchyn.

What’s coming next: Hotter, drier, less predictable weather patterns

Looking ahead, researchers say warming on the Prairies is very likely to continue.

Just how much, however, will depend on greenhouse gas management, says Pomeroy.

“We’re probably not heading for what, 10 years ago, we would have called the ‘worst-case-business-as-usual-scenario,’ … But we’re probably headed for three to four degrees of warming overall.”

Because the Prairies are located deep within a continent, warming here could exceed global averages, he says.

“The bad part of that is that it’s most intense in the summer and in the winters.”

In his estimation, summer is getting hotter, sometimes by up to eight degrees in the Prairies and winter is getting much warmer as well.

Earlier models suggested a wetter future, but newer projections point to a drier continental interior. “Hotter and drier is going to be really tough for us,” Pomeroy says.

He also believes that the effects will vary. Dryland farming in the western and southern Prairies may become far more difficult, or even impossible in some areas, while parts of the north and east could see yield gains in some years.

Water supplies will also become less reliable, he says.

“The glaciers will have melted out … by mid-century,” he says, adding that declining snowpacks will reduce late-summer flows and make irrigation more challenging.

Silver linings to changing weather patterns

There is good news too, say experts: prairie agriculture is already adapting, arguably faster than the climate is changing.

Sauchyn says farmers are already adopting soil health and moisture management practices, including the use of cover crops, intercropping, maintaining diversity in the field and limiting tillage.

“All those principles of soil health … that increase and maintain soil moisture and carbon, they seem to be effective adaptations for what we expect from a changing climate,” he says.

Furthermore, he says that we are already seeing how effective these practices can be in response to changing climate patterns.

“Those producers have been really careful about maintaining a cover and improving the soil health. They’re producing a crop even though we’ve had some pretty dry years.”

Sauchyn says there are also notable potential upsides to changing climate patterns for Canadian farmers, especially those in cooler, previously marginal regions.

Warmer winters and a longer frost‑free season mean more heat units and a longer growing season. This can boost productivity and open up new areas to cropping, particularly along the northern and western margins of the grain belt, where short seasons used to be a key limitation.

Sauchyn also notes that, over time, more of the increased precipitation is likely to come in winter and spring, aligning with crop water needs, even as drought remains the ultimate constraint.

“Despite our climate change forecasts, it will be possible to both prevent crop losses and take advantage of a warming climate.”

Adapting to uncertainty: What comes next

Although Sauchyn, who comes from a farm family himself, says he never tells farmers what to do, he will share what the science reveals in terms of effective management strategies.

Based on his research, he believes maintaining soil structure and water storage will remain especially important, as well as continuing to adopt soil health and moisture management practices.

Pomeroy also believes that it will be critical for farmers to be adaptable in their cropping decisions and management strategies.

“Producers have to be very, very flexible in what they plant in different years,” he says. “When you get a wet cycle, take advantage of it, get bumper crops … but then be ready for those dry cycles.”

He says farmers may also increasingly rely on better forecasting tools and weather data to guide decisions, and that more variable precipitation patterns could also encourage greater interest in water storage and irrigation where feasible.

He also believes there will be a role for governments to play in supporting farmers through these challenges. This should include continued federal funding for research developing crop systems suited to warmer, more variable conditions. It could also mean providing financial support for farmers if and when times get tough.

“There’ll just be years where you can’t do much of anything,” he says. “Governments have to be ready with those financial instruments that helps them in that.”

Because climate volatility will affect entire regions, co-operation between farmers, researchers and policymakers will also be essential, he says.

“Farmers won’t be able to do that alone.”

Change is the name of the game

Prairie agriculture has never been static, and climate change is simply the latest force reshaping how farmers work the land.

What’s different now is the pace and unpredictability of that change.

The future will likely bring sharper extremes, according to experts, but it will also bring new opportunities in some regions, along with tools and practices that can help farmers adapt.

In many ways, that adaptation is already underway. Canadian farmers are improving soil health, refining water management and making more flexible cropping decisions, steps that not only respond to today’s challenges, but that build resilience for the future. Supported by ongoing research and innovation, these changes will help position prairie agriculture to remain productive and competitive, even as conditions evolve.

The climate may be changing, but so, too, has farmers’ capacity to respond to it — and that may be the greatest advantage for Canadian agriculture.

How and where climate change could benefit prairie farming 

While climate change brings real risks, experts say it also creates new opportunities — especially along the northern and western edges of the prairie grain belt, where cold and short growing seasons have historically limited production.

Key potential benefits:

Longer growing seasons = more crop potential

Warmer temperatures are already extending the growing season across the Prairies. Research shows the frost-free period in Canada has increased by more than 20 days over the past century, with measurable gains in growing degree days and heat units. According to prairie climate change and adaptation expert Dr. David Sauchyn, the expanding window between last spring frost and first fall frost is “mostly good news for farming,” allowing crops more time to mature and potentially boosting yields.

New areas opening up to cropping

Warming temperatures are increasing heat units in cooler regions, allowing crops to expand northward. Studies show rising growing degree days have already made it possible to grow crops like corn farther north on the Prairies, where it was previously not viable. Dr. Sauchyn says, as the climate continues to change, there could be increased potential for productivity in these regions. “In the past, the limitation has been heat units … that problem is going to be alleviated,” he says.

Expanded crop options, including winter crops

Milder winters and more winter and spring moisture could make crops like winter wheat more practical, similar to systems that are already common in the northern United States, says water and climate change expert Dr. John Pomeroy. This could also open the door to other new crops.

Higher yield potential in some regions

In some areas, especially in the northern and eastern Prairies, longer growing seasons and increased precipitation have the potential to support higher yields in many years. More heat units and growing days can improve crop development — if moisture is sufficient.

Greater viability for irrigation and intensification

More heat units and longer seasons could make irrigation economically viable in new areas, supporting higher-value crops and increased productivity.

Bottom line: Climate change may shift where and how crops are grown, but in some parts of the Prairies, it could significantly expand what’s possible.

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Harvesting in the state of Western Australia is around halfway complete.

WHY IT MATTERS: Western Australia is the largest crop exporting region of Australia, one of the world’s biggest shippers of grains and canola seed.

Large Australian production will put downward pressure on global prices. Benchmark Chicago wheat futures fell to their lowest levels since 2020 in October amid abundant global supply.

In a monthly crop report, GIWA cut its estimate for Western Australian wheat production by 50,000 metric tons to 13 million tons.

It trimmed its expectations for barley by 50,000 tons to 7.42 million tons and for canola by 130,000 tons to 4.17 million tons.

Those forecasts compare with average production over the last five years in the state of 11.2 million tons of wheat, 5.2 million tons of barley and 2.8 million tons of canola.

Western Australia has been at the forefront of rising productivity in Australia, where farmers have increased yields despite declining growing-season rainfall.

GIWA said the speed of the harvest in some areas had put strain on infrastructure and logistics and in some cases slowed progress.

Wheat grain quality has been mixed but barley quality has been mostly very good, the higher-than-expected yields often being driven by larger seed size, it said.

Earlier this month, the Australian government said it expected national production this season of 35.6 million tons of wheat, the third-biggest harvest on record, 15.7 million tons of barley, a record amount, and 7.2 million tons of canola, the second-most on record.

Following are GIWA’s December estimates and comparisons with last month’s forecasts and last season’s production. Crop numbers are in metric tons.

— Reporting by Peter Hobson

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The provincial harvest was virtually complete at 99 per cent, said Saskatchewan’s weekly crop report released on Oct. 30. This year’s crops were harvested later than usual due to rainfall throughout the growing season and uneven crop staging. Cool July temperatures slowed development, but crop staging evened out and prevented harvest delays. Pests like bertha armyworm, cabbage seedpod weevil and Richardsons ground squirrel also posed challenges in some regions.

All crop types in Saskatchewan yielded higher than their 10-year averages. Winter wheat crops yielded 44.1 bushels per acre and fall rye yielded 52.6 bu./ac. For spring cereal crops, oats had the biggest yield at 94.4 bu./ac., followed by barley at 70. Hard spring wheat was 51.5 bu./ac. and other spring wheat was 55.5. Durum yielded 39.4 bu./ac. and triticale yielded 25.3. Canary seed saw 1,354 pounds per acre, while field peas were at 40.8 bu./ac, lentils at 1,785.5 lbs./ac. and chickpeas yielded 1,716.2 lbs./ac. Oilseed crops were the last to come off, yielding 42.4 bu./ac. for canola, 39.6 for soybeans, 26.6 for flax and 880.1 lbs./ac. for mustard.

As of Oct. 20, mustard was 99 per cent combined, followed by 98 per cent for canola, 94 per cent for flax, 91 per cent for chickpeas and 87 per cent for soybeans.

Related: Large wheat supply pressures prices

Most crops graded in the top two quality categories, but some downgrading was reported due to dry conditions, pest activity and late-season rain. Canola quality was higher than the 10-year average as crops graded 86 per cent 1 Canada, 13 per cent 2 CAN and one per cent 3 CAN. For pulses, field peas graded 41 per cent 1 CAN, 52 per cent 2 CAN and seven per cent 3 CAN, while lentils graded 22 per cent 1 CAN, 59 per cent 2 CAN, 17 per cent 3 CAN and two per cent Sample.

Spring wheat was rated as 63 per cent 1 Canada Western, 29 per cent 2 CW, six per cent 3 CW and two per cent CW Feed, while barley was rated as 27 per cent malt, 60 per cent 1 CW and 13 per cent 2 CW and Sample.

Average silage yields in the province this year were 5.82 tons per acre, which is lower than the 6.37 tons/ac. reported last year. Provincially, dryland hay yields were 1.39 tons/ac. for alfalfa, 1.32 for brome hay, 1.19 for tame hay, 1.33 for baled forage and 2.14 for greenfeed. The first cut hay crop was rated as 11 per cent excellent, 63 per cent good, 22 per cent fair and four per cent poor. Producers who were able to do a second hay cut reported that 24 per cent was excellent, 47 per cent was good, 19 per cent was fair and 10 per cent was poor quality.

Cropland topsoil moisture was rated at four per cent surplus, 55 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and eight per cent very short. For hayland areas, topsoil moisture was three per cent surplus, 51 per cent adequate, 36 per cent short and 10 per cent very short. For pastures, topsoil moisture was two per cent surplus, 38 per cent adequate, 45 per cent short and 15 per cent very short. Significant rainfall and snow are needed in the coming months to replenish soil moisture levels for next spring, especially in western regions.

Most pastures reflect the soil moisture ratings quite closely. Provincially, three per cent of pastures were in excellent condition, 29 per cent were good, 37 per cent were fair, 21 per cent were poor and 10 per cent were in very poor condition.

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The province’s agriculture department reported 99.4 per cent of Alberta’s major crops were combined as of Oct. 14, 3.1 points more than in the previous week, compared to the five-year average of 97 per cent and the 10-year average of 83 per cent. The northwest region’s harvest was 100 per cent complete, while the central region was at 98.9 per cent. All other regions were within one point of finishing operations.

The harvests for all major crops were either completion or less than a point away from completion, except for canola at 98.5 per cent.

Despite recent rain and snowfall in some areas, the added moisture wasn’t enough to improve fall-seeded crop quality provincewide. The northeast and northwest regions saw improvement from the past week, while the south region was steady and the central region declined. Crops in the south region were rated at 51 per cent good to excellent, compared to 26 per cent in the northwest, 16 per cent in the central region and 11 per cent in the northeast. There were no fall-seeded crops reported in the Peace region.

Provincially, surface moisture conditions were down slightly to 16 per cent good to excellent, below the five-year average of 40 per cent. Regionally, surface moisture conditions rated good to excellent were at 22 per cent in the south region, nine per cent in the central region, seven per cent in the northeast, 22 per cent in the northwest and 29 per cent in the Peace region.

Sub-surface moisture conditions rated good to excellent remained steady at 18 per cent, below the five-year average of 37 per cent. Regional good to excellent ratings for sub-surface soil moisture was at 23 per cent in the south, 13 per cent in the central, 10 per cent in the northeast, 19 per cent in the northwest and 30 per cent in the Peace region. Most parts of the province are entering winter with dry soil conditions and average or higher winter snowfall, as well as spring precipitation will be needed to replenish soil moisture and support crop and forage growth in the coming season.

Most producers had already begun moving cattle off pastures and feeding livestock at home. Provincial pastures with good to excellent growth conditions declined by two points to 15 per cent, below the five-year average of 29 per cent. Regional good to excellent pasture conditions were at 29 per cent in the south region, five per cent in the central region, one per cent in the northeast, 14 per cent in the northwest, and 27 per cent in the Peace region.

Provincially, forage reserves were rated at 10 per cent deficit, 19 per cent possible shortfall, 62 per cent adequate, and nine per cent surplus. The feed grain reserves were rated at three per cent deficit, nine per cent possible shortfall, 76 per cent adequate and 12 per cent surplus.

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The provincial harvest was 98 per cent complete as of Oct. 13, said the Saskatchewan government’s weekly crop report released on Oct. 16. The harvest might have been completed if rain and snow hadn’t fallen in some regions last weekend. The Strasbourg area in the south-central part of the province received the most precipitation at 52 millimetres.

All spring and winter cereal crops were combined, while canola was 98 per cent harvested and the mustard harvest was 95 per cent complete. Canary seed was 92 per cent finished, followed by chickpeas at 88 per cent, flax at 87 per cent and soybeans at 83 per cent.

Topsoil moisture for cropland was rated at seven per cent surplus, 53 per cent adequate, 30 per cent short and 10 per cent very short. For hayland areas, it was five per cent surplus, 49 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and 13 per cent very short. For pastures, topsoil moisture was three per cent surplus, 36 per cent adequate, 42 per cent short and 19 per cent very short.

The supply of hay was nine per cent surplus, 82 per cent adequate and nine per cent short. Greenfeed was six per cent surplus, 89 per cent adequate and five per cent short. Silage was six per cent surplus, 92 per cent adequate and two per cent short. Straw was 14 per cent surplus, 78 per cent adequate and eight per cent short. Feed grain was 11 per cent surplus, 85 per cent adequate and four per cent short.

Wind, frost and snowfall caused minor amounts of damage to the crops remaining in the field, as well as wildlife and migratory birds feeding on crops and grain bags. Producers were spraying for weeds, applying fertilizer, harrowing fields and servicing equipment as the harvest nears its completion. Livestock producers were moving cattle home for winter, as well as hauling bales and marketing livestock.

The province will release its final crop report on Oct. 30.

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Manitoba crops were 93 per cent combined as of Oct. 13, six points more than the previous week, said the province’s weekly crop report released on Oct. 15. All regions saw at least 14 millimetres of precipitation while snow accumulated in parts of the northwest. The Pas received the most precipitation at 65.7 mm. Winds exceeding 60 kilometres per hour were also felt in most regions. Nevertheless, harvest progress in all regions ranged from 91 to 98 per cent.

The barley and oat harvests were 99 per cent complete, while canola and dry beans were 96 per cent finished. Soybeans were 90 per cent complete while potatoes were at 84 per cent. Silage corn and flax were at 77 and 76 per cent, respectively, while grain corn lagged at 42 per cent and sunflowers trailed all crops at 17 per cent.

Winter cereal planting is complete with most of them in the three-leaf stage. Spring wheat yields averaged 60 bushels per acre with some fields showing yields up to 90 bu./ac. Barley yields ranged from 65 to 110 bu./ac., while oats ranged from 110 to 130 bu./ac. However, wet harvest conditions have caused a loss of quality in spring cereals.

Canola yields averaged 45 bu./ac. in a range of 30 to 70 bu./ac. The field pea harvest yielded an average of 60 bu./ac. from a range of 30 to 75 bu./ac. The soybean harvest continued with yields between 30 to 55 bu./ac. Meanwhile, the sunflower harvest was delayed due to producers waiting for them to dry.

Producers with cereal silage and native/slough hay are fighting wet conditions to wrap up their harvests. Producers are also encouraged to use management practices to promote and maintain snow cover for insulating alfalfa crowns in the winter. Pastures are now dormant with livestock now feeding on stockpiled forages, crop residue and regrowth or supplemental feed.

Livestock operations have begun weaning, but rains caused muddy conditions in pastures and corrals. Most producers have acquired sufficient amounts of feed for the winter, while hay and straw bales were being moved to wintering areas. Manure was also being spread out onto fields.

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Manitoba’s harvest advanced by 14 points to 86 per cent complete, said the province’s weekly crop report. Spring wheat was 99 per cent finished while barley and oats were 98 per cent. The canola harvest moved up to 92 per cent done while dry beans were at 90 per cent and potatoes were at 84 per cent. The soybean and silage corn harvests were at 69 per cent finished, with corn for grain at eight per cent.

The central, eastern and Interlake regions received heavy precipitation and winds gusting to 80 kilometres per hour. Sprague Lake in the eastern region received the most rain at 70.7 millimetres. However, there were a handful of locations that received less than one mm. Precipitation accumulations since May 1 were below 60 per cent of normal in the Interlake and parts of the northwest, while parts of the southwest and central regions received more than 100 per cent.

Spring wheat yields averaged 60 bushels per acre, with some yields reported to be 70 to 90 bu./ac. Quality was mostly good, but fields with delayed harvest due to wet conditions saw their wheat downgraded to feed. Oat yields ranged from 110 to 130 bu./ac., while barley yields were 65 to 110. Most corn for grain reached maturity as harvest began.

Canola yields ranged from 30 to 70 bu./ac. with an average of 45. Both flax and sunflowers were desiccated with the latter in the R8 and R9 development stages. Soybean yields ranged from 30 to 55 bu./ac.

Corn silage harvests have begun with average to above-average yields reported in most areas.

Some pastures remain in very good condition but producers are already providing supplementary feed for livestock. Producers are also considering late cuts of alfalfa as weather permits, particularly in areas that received frost damage.

Cattle were in excellent condition and remain on fall grazing pastures, hayland and harvested crop fields. Producers have started weaning and cattle are heading into markets being sold at very good prices. Most producers secured winter feed, but those in very dry areas are sourcing feed from elsewhere. Manure is starting to be spread out onto fields.

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The province’s harvest was 68 per cent complete, Saskatchewan’s weekly crop report said on Sept. 25. This was compared to the five-year average of 83 per cent and the 10-year average of 72 per cent.

Harvest progress in the southwest led all regions at 80 per cent complete, followed by the southeast at 70 per cent, the northwest at 69 per cent, the west-central region at 65 per cent, the northeast at 61 per cent and the east-central region at 59 per cent.

While Saskatchewan’s winter wheat and fall rye harvest was finished, field peas were at 99 per cent completion and lentils were 96 per cent combined. Barley was at 86 per cent, durum at 78 per cent, spring wheat at 73 per cent and oats at 70 per cent. However, due to rains and high humidity, some yet-to-be-harvested cereal crops showed low quality and sprouting.

The mustard harvest was 62 per cent complete, followed by canola at 42 per cent, soybeans at 23 per cent and flax at 18 per cent.

The most rain fell in the Rhein area east of Yorkton at 44 millimetres during the week. Meanwhile, Carnduff and Blaine Lake saw 20 mm and the Calder area received 18 mm.

Cropland topsoil moisture was at two per cent surplus, 59 per cent adequate, 32 per cent short and seven per cent very short. Hayland topsoil conditions were three per cent surplus, 51 per cent adequate, 29 per cent short and 17 per cent very short. Pasture topsoil conditions were two per cent surplus, 40 per cent adequate, 36 per cent short and 22 per cent very short.

As for pastures, one per cent were in excellent condition, 31 per cent in good condition, 39 per cent in fair condition, 20 per cent in poor condition and nine per cent in very poor condition.

Most of the crop damage reported was caused by wind and dry conditions. There were also some reports of low-lying areas being lost to water accumulation. Waterfowl damage was more present this week as geese, cranes and other waterfowl moved across the province.

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The Manitoba harvest advanced six points at 56 per cent completed. Some of the progress was due to the start of the soybean and silage corn harvests. Soybean combining operations began in the central and eastern regions with three per cent finished. Meanwhile, the central and Interlake regions began taking silage corn off the ground, completing 12 per cent of the province’s harvest.

The spring wheat was 93 per cent complete, followed by barley at 89 per cent and oats at 84 per cent. Canola was 45 per cent combined.

While some areas received less than one millimetre of precipitation, Ethelbert in the northwest region saw 109.1 mm, which triggered a local state of emergency due to overland flooding and washed-out roads. All regions saw at least 37 mm during the week. Despite the rainfall, soil conditions were dry to very dry in large parts of the Interlake as well as in localized areas in other regions. Wet conditions were present in areas of the province’s other regions.

Spring wheat yields averaged 60 bu./ac. with some fields reported at 70 bu./ac. Oats yielded 110 to 130 bu./ac. and barley was at 65 to 110 bu./ac. Most corn was in the R5 (dent) stage.

Canola yields ranged from 26 to 60 bu./ac. with an average of 45. Flax was in the brown capsule stage and sunflowers ranged from the R8 to R9 growth stages with most being desiccated.

Dry beans were in the R7 and R8 growth stages and harvest has started in the earliest-seeded fields. Most soybeans were also in the R7 and R8 stages with much of their harvest to be completed in two weeks.

Moist and warm conditions aided fall grazing and pasture growth, but the rainfall has caused challenges in harvesting native hay and greenfeed. Manure spreading has started on some fields.

Producers have started weaning and marketing their calves, while cattle on pasture were in good condition despite some fly pressure. Pastures were in excellent condition with some producers in the Interlake and southwest supplementing out on pasture. Winter feed supplies were mixed across Manitoba as some producers look for more while others are selling surplus amounts.

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Combining reached 29 per cent completion, the province’s weekly crop report said. The winter wheat and fall rye harvests were 99 per cent complete, while field peas were at 95 per cent. Barley and spring wheat were at 65 and 59 per cent, respectively, while oats were at 41 per cent. Canola was 10 per cent combined.

The most rainfall was recorded at Kane in the central region at 60.3 millimetres, with Dominion City in the east and Newdale in the southwest receiving 31.2 and 30.9 mm, respectively. Several areas across Manitoba received no rainfall.

Total precipitation accumulations this season were below 60 per cent compared to the 30-year average in the Interlake and parts of the Northwest and Eastern regions. Parts of the Southwest have accumulated higher than normal precipitation levels since May 1.

Spring wheat conditions ranged from 80 to 90 per cent good to excellent, while producing 50 to 60 bushels per acre. Winter wheat yields ranged from 50 to 80 bu./ac., while fall rye was at 60 to 110. Barley was at 60 to 70 bu./ac., while oats were at 100 to 150. Most corn was in the R5 (dent) stage of growth.

Canola yields were from 45 to 60 bu./ac. as swathing and desiccation were ongoing. Flax was in the brown capsule stage and most sunflowers have completed flowering. Avian Control, a bird repellent, received emergency registration in sunflowers to reduce damage by blackbirds. However, the treatment, which can be applied up to the day of harvest, can cause damage such as leaf discolouration.

Field pea yields ranged from 30 to 75 bu./ac., averaging approximately 60 bu./ac. Dry beans were in the R7 and R8 stages, while most soybeans were in the R5 and R6 stages.

Warm weather and improved moisture conditions in some areas allowed pastures to regrow, providing extra grazing days for livestock. Second cut harvest yields for beef producers were below-average and dairies were on their third cut, which were seeing higher yields than the second cut. Slough hay and straw yields appeared to be average. Silage corn harvest is set to begin in two weeks as most corn were in the dent stage.

Cattle on pasture were in good condition while producers monitor for foot rot, fly pressure and pneumonia. Water levels were mixed, causing some producers to move cattle or haul water. Winter feed supplies were also mixed with some producers sourcing additional feed and others with a surplus selling their own.

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