Seeding is officially done in Saskatchewan

The seeding season in Saskatchewan has officially concluded. The province’s crop report on Thursday states that 98 per cent of the land has been successfully seeded and crops are already starting to grow.

In a report sent out Thursday, Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture declared seeding season officially over. The report shows that the majority of crops are developing normally, but the season did not go off without a hitch.

The extended dry conditions have induced environmental stress in the west of the province, while the east had to deal with flooding that has delayed the development of some crops.

While the overall sentiment among farmers and ranchers is that the recent rainfall has been a much-needed blessing, replenishing topsoil moisture levels, concerns persist for the upcoming summer season.

The report states that 73 per cent of croplands are at adequate or better topsoil moisture levels. Hay and pastures have also enjoyed the rain with 60 per cent of them reporting adequate or higher moisture levels.

Still, 52 per cent of producers are anticipating water to be in short supply this summer and 46 per cent are already dealing with moderate water shortages. Not only is the supply of water a concern, but also the quality. The Ministry of Agriculture recommends any concerned ranchers and producers drop off water samples at their local Ministry of Agriculture regional office for water quality testing.

Seeding might be done, but many farmers are still engaged in treating their fields with herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Concerns about grasshoppers and gopher outbreaks loom in the minds of many producers.

To ease worries, the ministry is providing support through their Farm Stress Line to help producers manage stress from any difficulties faced on the farm. The line can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-667-4442.