Harvest further along than in previous years: crop report

Farmers were able to get out into the fields and make considerable harvest progress according to the latest crop report.

Despite the cool and damp week, producers took advantage of breaks in the weather.

Thirty-nine per cent of the crop is now in the bin which is well above the five-year average of 25 per cent for this time of the year.

Thirty-two per cent of the crop is now swathed or ready to straight-cut.

In the southwestern region of Saskatchewan 60 per cent of the crop is combined.

The southeastern region has 56 per cent finished, west-central and east-central both have 32 per cent completed.

The northeastern region is 14 per cent combined with the northwestern region furthest behind at eight per cent complete.

Ninety-seven per cent of fall rye, 92 per cent of winter wheat, 83 per cent of lentils, 86 per cent of field peas, 53 per cent of mustard, 49 per cent of durum, 46 per cent of barley, 28 per cent of spring wheat and 19 per cent of canola have now been combined.

Twenty-six per cent of oats, 30 per cent of chickpeas, eight per cent of canary seed and five per cent of flax have been combined.

Across the province, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as 22 per cent adequate, 47 per cent short and 31 per cent very short.

While a majority of crop damage this past week was due to lack of moisture and strong wind, there were also reports of frost causing some damage in parts of the province as well.

Producers are busy swathing and combining crops.

There were 22 cases of farm equipment coming in contact with power equipment in August including four last week.