Favourable weather conditions allowed producers
across Manitoba to make significant harvest progress, according
to the provincial agriculture department’s crop update for the week ended September 4. Spotty thundershowers did slow harvest operations in a few isolated
areas.

Harvest activities in the south and east of
the province were virtually complete and were nearing completion
in most other regions, the report from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) said.

Combining of canola has progressed rapidly with yield
reports ranging from 20 to 40 bushels per acre, the report said. Small seeds

have been common in this year’s harvest but green seed counts
have been relatively low.

Spraying (pre-harvest management) and swathing continue in
flax and the earliest yield reports range from 18 to 29 bu./ac.,
the report said.

Sunflower acres continue to look quite good, department representatives said in the report. The backs of the heads of earlier-maturing
varieties are turning yellow and bracts are starting to brown.
Depending on environmental conditions, desiccation is expected
later this week or early next week.

Harvest of cereal crops in Manitoba was seen as being
virtually complete, the report said. Only the northwest region
and parts of the north Interlake region have cereal crops yet to
be harvested.

Winter wheat yields were a good long-term average at 70
bu./ac., with good quality. Spring wheat yields ranged around 30-50 bu./ac.,
barley averaged 70 bu./ac. and oats were very good at an average of
100 bu./ac.

New-crop winter wheat seeding is in full swing with 65 per cent
complete, though some producers are waiting for a rain due to extreme

dryness, MAFRI said.

Manitoba’s corn crop is well advanced for this time of year
as some fields now start to show drydown in the plant
material, the report said. Silage corn harvest will start this
week and grain corn harvest will most likely start before the end
of September.

Warm weather has accelerated soybean maturity. Early-season soybeans are approaching 95 per cent brown pod and with continued
warm, dry weather, combining these fields could be a week away,
the report said.

The majority of first- and second-cut hay has been harvested
throughout the province. Yields are expected to be average with
quality below average for most of the province on first cuts and
average on second cuts. Central and eastern regions of the
province may look forward to improved quality on a final harvest
of tame hay this fall, MAFRI said.

The report saw pasture conditions as average to below average.