Canada Markets

Largely deteriorating crop ratings released by Saskatchewan Agriculture clearly reflect the weather challenges faced this spring. Of the crops selected, the largest cuts to the Good to Excellent ratings between June 1 and June 15 were seen in: winter wheat, which was down 32% at 40% Good to Excellent; peas, which were lowered 16% to 53% Good to Excellent; and durum which was lowered by 13% to 41% Good to Excellent.

Good to Excellent ratings for almost all crops were the lowest mid-June ratings seen since June 13, 2011 when ratings were considerably lower due to a combination of later seeding, with 82% of the crop seeded as compared to the 92% five-year average at the time, while both precipitation and frost negatively impacting crops across many areas of the province.

Of the 2015 crops faring the best from the selected crops viewed, the Good to Excellent ratings for oats slipped just 1% to 71% Good to Excellent in the first two weeks of June, the highest rating of all crops, while soybeans remained unchanged at 69% Good to Excellent over the same period. Of the crops shown on the chart, canola was the only crop to have a June 15 rating which was higher than the June 1 rating, climbing from 44% Good to Excellent to 47% Good to Excellent, with showers reported over many areas of the province over the previous week.

While the province views the majority of crops as being in the Fair to Good category, the Poor to Very Poor category increased for most crops which again are largely the highest ratings seen since June 2011. The pulse crops deteriorated the most in the first two weeks of June, with the Poor to Very Poor rating for the lentil crop doubling to 14% while the pea crop saw its Poor to Very Poor rating increase 6% to 11%. Oilseeds such as canola and flax proved to be the most responsive to recent moisture, with the Poor to Very Poor rating for canola falling 5% to 17% while the same rating for flax fell 4% to 7% Poor to Very Poor. The soybean crop shows a Poor to Very Poor rating of 2%, steady from early June and the lowest of the crops studied.

Current U.S. National Weather Service maps show the province is expected to see 12.5 to 37 millimeters over the next seven days, with the highest concentrations to hit the north-west of the province. Crop development may be slower than desired with DTN's five-day highs and five-day lows largely below normal for the prairies.

We will soon be having an article highlighting what we're hearing from our Canada Crop Connection volunteers (similar to the feature DTN Managing Editor Cheri Zagurski has been doing with mainly our U.S. readers). If you'd like to participate through the season, please email DTN's Associate Managing Editor Elaine Shein at elaine.shein@dtn.com. Occasionally we will send you questions by email to get your viewpoint on various issues affecting Canadian agriculture. We also welcome any pictures you wish to send us from the field -- show us what's going on with your crops, as well as feedlots and pastures. Let us know firsthand what you're doing and seeing, as well as what issues are on your mind throughout this year. We look forward to hearing from you (and thanks to those who already have volunteered!)

DTN 360 Poll

This week's poll asks what you think about the consultation process in Saskatchewan regarding who should and should not be allowed to own farmland. We'd love to know what you think on this matter. You can weigh in to our poll found at the lower right of your DTN homepage.

Cliff Jamieson can be reached at cliff.jamieson@dtn.com

Follow Cliff Jamieson on Twitter @CliffJamieson

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