Southeastern Saskatchewan is on the cusp of passing the halfway point when it comes to harvest. 

Producers in the area have 49 per cent of crops combined according to the latest crop from the Ministry of Agriculture. It’s just above the five-year average of 48 per cent. Harvest was slowed down slightly with recent rain, however. 

Provincially, harvest is well ahead of schedule with 51 per cent of harvest completed, which is ahead of the five-year average of 34 per cent and the 10-year average of 33 per cent. 

Most spring cereals are past the halfway point including that is barley 74 per cent complete. For pulse crops, lentils and peas have less than 10 per cent left to come off. 

“While producers have just a few acres of their winter cereals left, spring cereals continue to be the main focus of many harvest operations right now,” said crops extension specialist MacKenzie Hladun. 

Producers are seeing a variety of yields throughout the province. In the southeast, we are seeing yield similar to last year, according to Hladun. 

“Hard Red Spring Wheat yields are estimated at 41 bushels per acre, while canola is estimated at 33 bushels per acre. Lentils are estimated to yield 1,681 pounds per acre and chickpeas are estimated to yield 1,605 pounds per acre,” she said. 

Producers are reminded that harvest is a very busy and stressful time and safety precautions should be taken.  

Fire mitigation resources should be at the ready with these dry conditions and precautions should be taken when working around powerlines. The Farm Stress Line is also available to support producers with their mental health by calling 1-800-667-4442. The public is reminded to use extra caution, time and space when encountering machinery on the roads. 

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, Discover Moose Jaw encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the Discover Moose Jaw app HERE.