Harvest is in full swing with 51 per cent of the provincial crop now in the bin.

Harvest is most advanced in the southwest where  81 per cent of the crop is in that's ahead of the five-year average of 64 per cent. 

The regional crops extension specialist Shannon Chant says that the heat and the drier conditions here resulted in about three per cent of the crop being used as feed.

"I've seen a lot of crops off, a lot of cereals, canola, of course, peas and lentils are probably the earliest to go. We did a canola disease survey across the southwest and there is a fair range even within the region of what looks good and what didn't look as good. Some crops got hit pretty hard between the grasshoppers and second-generation flea beetles."

She says the average yield for hard red spring wheat is anticipated to be about 20 bushels an acre, durum 17, barley 25, and canola coming in around 14 bushels an acre. Mustard is around 469 pounds per acre,  while lentils are at about  714 pounds, and chickpeas at 981 pounds per acre.

Chant says the ongoing concern remains the lack of moisture throughout the region.

"Topsoil moisture remains limited. Unfortunately, 11 per cent  of cropland moisture is good, 46 per cent is short and 43 per cent very short.  Hay and pasture only about 10  percent have adequate moisture 30 per cent is short, and 60 per cent very short. "

She notes we have had a bit of rain in the last few weeks,  but we could definitely use some more and hopefully a fair bit of snow over the winter.