Saskatchewan seeding delayed by cold temperatures, wet soil but farmers undeterred

When you ask Brett Halstead what challenges he expects to see with seeding at his farm in Saskatchewan, his answer is simple.

“Everything.”

Seeding in Saskatchewan has been delayed because of cold temperatures and stubborn spring snow, particularly in the north and east of the province.

On top of the common issue of moisture, farmers in Canada’s breadbasket are dealing with war-driven commodity pricing.

Prices for diesel and fertilizer have nearly doubled since the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

On the bright side, Chinese tariffs that hammered canola — more than half of which is grown in Saskatchewan — were either suspended or reduced in March.

However, farmers’ consistent love-hate relationship with moisture remains.

Halstead, who seeds about 1,700 hectares with wheat, canola and, sometimes, barley, said he has seen more snow than usual this year. The fields at his farmstead, near Nokomis, southeast of Saskatoon, are wetter than normal.

He’s still waiting for the last of the snow to melt away along treelines and finish soaking into the soil to begin seeding that area. Instead, he’ll turn his attention to another portion of his farmland, which is starting to dry up, planning to begin seeding this week.

He laughs at the situation.

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“You’re always three weeks away from a drought here or one big thunderstorm away from too much rain,” he said.

At the same time, farmers in Saskatchewan have been victim to several consecutive years of drought — some more than others, depending on where they are in the province.

So, moist soil isn’t such a dirty word for farmers.

“You know, I’ve seen more years that are too dry than are too wet in this country,” he says.

“The weather, you know, it deals you every year something different, and you just have to deal with it.”

With warm weather in the forecast, Halstead said he expects he won’t fall too far behind.

Others are also facing seeding delays. Last year, at about this time, seeding was well underway, with about 18 per cent of the province’s crops seeded.

The province’s most recent crop update, ending May 4, said about three per cent of crops had been seeded.

Carl Potts, executive director of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, still expects a positive year.

“We have growing global demand based on interest in plant-based foods and affordable protein, so we hope to continue that work to further diversify our markets and build more demand,” he said.

Jeremy Welter, speaking from the wheel of his tractor as he seeded a portion of his approximately 400 hectares of land, said he’s optimistic about seeding despite the expected and unexpected pressures.

“Weather is always going to be a challenge, regardless of what the year brings, just because of the nature of what this can do,” said Welter, also a vice-president with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan.

“Assuming nobody else goes and starts a war, the two existing wars that are going on right now certainly present their own rather unique challenges.”

While the U.S.-Iran war has been a more recent example of impacts on farming, the Russian invasion of Ukraine had struck oilseed and grain markets and narrowed fuel and fertilizer availability.

At his farm near Kerrobert by the Alberta boundary, there’s no snow — at least not right now, he said.

Saskatchewan has been facing temperamental temperatures and he’s hoping that the expected rainfall does not bring more snow and a potential delay.

The Saskatchewan government and Ottawa also recently announced $200,000 in funding for the Farm Stress Line, a confidential access line to crisis counsellors with agriculture training, for farmers and their families.

“You get into the busy season and, you know, stress is — to some extent, kind of — the name of the game,” Welter said.

He said the line is valuable, especially given how stressful the job can be.

“I’m going to spend every waking moment trying to control what I can and just do the best you can and hope for the best.”