REGINA – It sounds like a broken record. Rain is needed across much of Saskatchewan to not only help with wildfire suppression, but to replenish quickly deteriorating topsoil moisture conditions.
According to the weekly crop report, cropland topsoil moisture is rated 48 per cent short and 20 per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated 40 per cent short and 37 per cent very short.
Despite a shortfall in plant growth and moisture, haying operations are underway in much of the province. Livestock producers have 10 per cent of the hay cut and five per cent baled or put into silage.
Many hay swaths are significantly smaller than normal and bales are expected to be in short supply this year with pasture conditions declining due to the lack of precipitation.
On Thursday, additional measures were announced to help producers dealing with the dry conditions.
READ MORE: New options announced for Sask. producers dealing with dry conditions
Rainfall in the past week ranged from trace amounts in some areas to several inches in the southeast region.
Crop development is progressing, although many crops in the drier regions and short, thin and heading out and/or flowering earlier than normal. Crops conditions vary throughout the province, but the majority are in poor-to-good condition.
Most crop damage in the past week was mainly caused by grasshoppers and the lack of moisture.
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