Alberta major crop conditions held steady this past week and remain well above historical averages.
Friday’s weekly crop report pegged the provincial good-to-excellent rating for major crops (spring wheat, oats, barley, canola, and dry peas) at 64% as of Tuesday, unchanged from the previous week. That figure is significantly higher than the five-year average of 51% and ahead of the 10-year average of 56%.
Regional ratings show mixed performance. The Central Region leads the province with a 93% good-to-excellent rating for major crops as of Tuesday, unchanged from a week earlier and 44 points above the five-year average. The South region remains strong at 64%, 14 points above its five-year benchmark. The North West region sits at 68%, down one point from last week but still 26 points above its average.
In the North East, major crop conditions are rated at 58% good to excellent, down a single point from last week but in line with the region’s five-year average. The Peace region continues to lag far behind, rated at just 25% good to excellent as of Tuesday — up 3 points from the previous week but still 25 points below its historical norm.
Precipitation varied widely across the province last week, from scattered showers to heavier rainfall, with some areas experiencing hail. Despite localized damage, the moisture was generally welcome, especially in drier regions. The recent rains have been particularly beneficial for spring-seeded crops, aiding head and pod development.
However, the added moisture could slow harvest progress for some fall-seeded crops in wetter areas. Farmers in these regions may face short-term delays as fields dry enough to support machinery.
Major cereal crops in the province are developing ahead of schedule, the report said, averaging the early dough stage versus the long-term late milk stage. Harvest is underway for fall-seeded crops and pulses in the South, with spring-seeded crop harvests in the Peace and North West expected within two weeks.
Recent rainfall has kept provincial surface soil moisture at 59% good to excellent — well above the five-year average of 47% and the 10-year average of 50%.
The full report is available here:
https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/2e0c96ee-50bf-4891-8f16-224233f372ce/resource/d783ec55-33f9-4707-ad56-1a7912ba81d4/download/agi-tedab-alberta-crop-report-2025-08-05-abbreviated-report.pdf
