Manitoba Seeding Jumps to Over One-Third Complete 

The pace of Manitoba seeding surged over the past week, although planting progress across the province remains behind both last year and the five-year average.  

Wednesday’s provincial crop report pegged overall seeding at 37% complete as of Tuesday, up sharply from 13% a week earlier, but still trailing last year by 20 percentage points and sitting below the five-year average of 43%.  

Variable precipitation was reported across agro-Manitoba over the past eight days, with the Interlake and Northwest regions receiving the heaviest rainfall, the report said. Despite challenging conditions that included strong winds, cool temperatures, and localized saturation, producers made significant progress with cereals, corn, canola, and pulse crop seeding.  

Southwest 

• Strong winds reaching 100–115 km/h caused soil blowing, crop damage, and difficult field conditions.  

• Seeding progress south of Highway 1 is well ahead of northern areas, where cooler and wetter conditions continue to slow fieldwork.  

• Spring wheat planting is estimated at 50–55% complete, while barley and oats are 30–35% seeded.  

• Corn seeding is around 30% complete, soybeans are 25% planted, and canola seeding sits near 10%.  

• Pea planting is nearly finished at approximately 90% complete, with early-seeded crops beginning to emerge.  

Northwest 

• Wet conditions continue to delay seeding in many areas, with some fields still saturated and containing standing water.  

• Rain, snow, cool temperatures, and winds up to 80 km/h limited field progress later in the week.  

• Spring wheat and field pea seeding are each estimated at just 5% complete across the region.  

• Some soybean planting has begun as producers keep approaching insurance deadlines in mind.  

• Warmer weather is still needed to improve field conditions and accelerate seeding activity.  

Central 

• Persistent winds and dry conditions caused severe soil erosion in some areas, with producers reporting some of the worst blowing soil seen in years.  

• Despite the difficult conditions, seeding advanced rapidly, with spring cereal planting nearing completion.  

• Corn planting is approximately 60% complete, although cool temperatures are raising concerns about slow germination and chilling injury.  

• Canola, soybean, sunflower, and corn seeding all made substantial progress during the week.  

• Producers are being advised to monitor canola fields for flea beetle pressure as cool temperatures slow crop development.  

Eastern 

• Weekend rainfall helped replenish topsoil moisture, although cool temperatures continue to slow crop development.  

• Spring wheat planting is roughly 80% complete, with some farms already finished seeding.  

• Corn planting advanced rapidly and is estimated at 75% complete across the region.  

• Canola seeding is approximately 35% complete, while sunflower planting has reached 45%.  

• Producers remain concerned that cool rains may slow germination and increase the risk of chilling injury in early-seeded crops.  

Interlake 

• Strong winds caused additional reports of soil erosion across the region.  

• Producers in the South Interlake made substantial planting progress, with some areas reporting more than half of crops seeded.  

• Northern areas remain well behind due to rain, runoff, cooler temperatures, and saturated fields.  

• Corn planting in some southern districts has reached 70%, while soybeans are 45% seeded and canola is around 25% complete.  

• Many northern producers continue to wait for warmer and drier weather before seeding can accelerate.